Winged Idoru…’Surgery scheduled’ for Tuta Ohtani, role unclear
Shohei Ohtani (29, Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim), a former two-hitter in Major League Baseball (MLB), has been forced to end his regular season early due to an injury.
“Ohtani has been placed on the 10-day disabled list (IL) with a right oblique injury,” the Angels announced on Sunday (July 17), “and will not play the remainder of the season. It is officially an early end to the regular season.” Ohtani was diagnosed with ligament damage in his right elbow last month, making it difficult for him to take the mound. He had planned to play the remainder of the season as a designated hitter, but a side injury sidelined him for the season.
Ohtani has been a strong Most Valuable Player (MVP) candidate in the MLB this season, as he has excelled at both ends of the plate. In 23 games on the mound, Ohtani went 10-5 with a 3.14 ERA. At the plate, he batted .304 with 44 home runs, 95 RBIs, and 20 doubles in 135 games.
After ending his season prematurely, Ohtani will undergo surgery to repair his right elbow injury. It has not been determined what type of surgery he will undergo. If he does undergo surgery, it is unlikely he will be able to pitch next season. After undergoing elbow ligament splicing surgery (Tommy John surgery) in 2018, Ohtani played 106 games as a hitter in 2019 without taking the mound.
With a second elbow surgery, some believe that Ohtani will have a difficult time combining the two roles in the future. His contract with the Angels expires after this season and he will become a free agent. If he is unable to bat, his price tag will naturally drop. Ohtani is expected to be the first player in MLB history to sign a mega-contract worth more than $500 million.메이저사이트
The possibility of Ohtani leaving the Angels has also increased. However, Angels general manager Perry Minasian said, “Ohtani has packed his bags in his locker to focus on his comeback next year and will be at the ballpark for the last game of the season. I hope he stays here for a long time.”
