Ohtani UCL Tear: Unfortunate timing for both the Angels and Ohtani as he sets to hit the free agent market.
The two way superstar Shohei Ohtani has dealt with a lot this season. A season that Ohtani has been the best player in all of baseball. His season as a pitcher has come to an unfortunate end due to his second UCL tear of his career.
According to general manager of the Angels, Perry Minasian, by way of MLB beat reporter Rhett Bollinger. The Angels got imaging done between the double header against the Reds yesterday, which showed a tear in his UCL.
Ohtani started game one of the double header. Yet, after 1 1/3 innings pitched he came out the game and expressed pain in his elbow.
He continued to not only hit in game one of yesterday’s double header. He also passionately made his case to hit in game two after learning of the tear in his elbow. The Angels would lose both games, yet Ohtani produced at the plate in both games as well.
Ohtani and the Angels are waiting for further evaluation and a second opinion before deciding on if will continue to hit in 2023 or be shut down for surgery altogether.
Ohtani: First UCL Tear, 2018
In 2018, Ohtani had his first Major League set back, by tearing his UCL. He finished out the last month of the season as a DH. Then as soon as the season was over he underwent Tommy John surgery.
Causing him to miss the entire 2019 season before returning a shell of himself in 2020, the shortened Covid year.
In 2021, he became what the myth of Ohtani was supposed to become, and even greater than that. He has been electric and the best player in baseball since 2021.
Statistics say that a second Tommy John surgery has a far less success rate than that of the first Tommy John Surgery.
Minasian continued saying, that the organization will be taking this day to day and as of right now have no clue of whats to come of this untimely injury.
Ohtani set to be Free Agent
Ohtani is set to be a free agent this off season. He was also set to become possibly the highest paid player in MLB history.
As of right now the best case scenario is you sign him to a 6-700 million dollar contract. With hope that in a season and a half he returns to being the most dominant player on the field for you.
It is hard to cash a check on hope and even harder justifying the biggest contract in league’s history. As only a DH, Ohtani could be great for the rest of his career. However, the dynamic of being also the best pitcher on your team is where he would make his money.
It will be interesting to see how this plays out for both the Angels of Anaheim and Shohei Ohtani himself.
Best wishes and prayers to one of baseball true diamonds, one of the best to ever lace em up.
Rowan Donaghey is a Sports and Betting insider for Stare Down Sports. You can follow him on twitter via @RowanDonaghey
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