(St. Petersburg) Los Angeles Angels star Shohei Ohtani had surgery on his right elbow on Tuesday.
His doctor said he expects the two-position player to be available as a hitter in the 2024 opener and be able to return to the mound as a pitcher in 2025.
Ohtani tore the ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow on August 23, ending his pitching season. He continued to bat until September 3, when he suffered an oblique muscle strain.
Los Angeles Dodgers head physician Neal ElAttrache performed the surgery Tuesday at Cedars-Sinai Kerlan-Jobe Institute in Los Angeles. ElAttrache had already performed Ohtani’s Tommy John surgery on Day 1er October 2018. Neither Ohtani nor the team provided further details about Tuesday’s intervention.
“I had elbow surgery this morning and everything went well,” Ohtani said in a post on his Instagram account. It was a shame not to be able to finish the season on the field, but I will encourage my teammates until the end. I will work as hard as I can and do my best to return to the field stronger than ever. »
Nez Balelo, Ohtani’s agent, released a statement shared by the Angels. Balelo did not elaborate on the type of intervention.
“The final decision and type of intervention were made with a strong focus on the bigger picture,” said Balelo. Shohei wanted to ensure that the direction he took would give him every opportunity to hit and pitch for many years to come. »
Ohtani, 29, leads the Americans with 44 home runs and has driven in 96 runs, with eight triples and 20 stolen bases. He posted a 10-5 record and 3.14 ERA in 23 starts, striking out 167 batters in 132 innings of work.
“The ultimate plan, after deliberation with Shohei, was to repair the problem and strengthen the healthy ligament in place, while also adding viable tissue for the longevity of the elbow,” ElAttrache noted in a press release. I would expect a full recovery and he will be ready to hit without any restrictions by the opening of 2024 and will be able to hit and pitch in 2025.”
Ohtani is eligible for free agency after the World Series. Before his elbow injury, some observers speculated he would get a record contract worth more than $500 million.
