Earlier this season, the Los Angeles Angels announced the saddened news that Shohei Ohtani would not be pitching for the remaining season as he was suffering from a torn UCL. It is yet to be confirmed whether the MLB prodigy’s injury may require a second Tommy John surgery.
The Los Angeles Angels’ superstar, Ohtani was pulled out from the team lineup for the opening of the series, against the Baltimore Orioles. Ohtani acquired a severe right oblique injury during his batting practice that led him to miss out on a total of seven games of the homestand.
Shohei Ohtani has a torn UCL and won’t pitch again this season.
— Jeff Fletcher (@JeffFletcherOCR) August 24, 2023
On being diagnosed, it was found a minor inflammation, but there was no strain. Ohtani’s current situation becomes more unfortunate as his injury happened on the same day when his agent Nez Balelo announced that he might need surgery to treat the torn ulnar collateral ligament of his right elbow.
When is Shohei Ohtani returning back to the season?
Shohei Ohtani planned to return in the Angels’ series opener at T-Mobile Park, against the Seattle Mariners on Monday. However, he was again pulled out due to his right oblique injury effects.
While talking about the matter, Phil Nevin, manager of the Angels, explained why Ohtani has pulled out again. He shared that the two-way player hasn’t fully recovered when swinging a nat and needs some more time to get back.
“It’s all business.”
Phil Nevin on Shohei Ohtani’s future with the Angels. pic.twitter.com/pt2H8s3Nvh
— ESPN (@espn) July 17, 2023
“He was confident that today would be OK, but when he came in and warmed up, did all his treatment, and took some swings in the cage, he just didn’t feel quite 100 per cent…I understand that. He just told me today is not the day yet,” said the manager.
However, he also revealed that the Los Angeles Angels’ superstar is very close to returning back to the season. Nevin said, “He feels really close…it just didn’t work out today. But it could be tomorrow. It could be Wednesday. But he feels confident it’s any day now.”
According to CBS Sports, there is uncertainty about how much the UCL injury of Ohtani has affected his contract with the Los Angeles Angels. The two-way player amassed a 3.14 ERA and a 3.04 strikeout-to-walk ratio in just 23 games, as the batter. He hit .305/.408/.665 with a remarkable record of 44 home runs and 91 RBI.
Ohtani has departed several games prematurely because of his injuries, and it is those issues that led to his torn UCL.
He is currently presiding to the final weeks of one of the best individual seasons in MLB history. Moreover, he was expected to earn a record-breaking contract worth $500 million.
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