Shohei Ohtani of the Los Angeles Angels looks on from the bench during the game against the Detroit Tigers at Angel Stadium of Anaheim in Anaheim, California, September 16, 2023. /CFP
Shohei Ohtani of the Los Angeles Angles won't play in the remaining of the 2023 Major League Baseball (MLB) season after a magnetic resonance imagining on Friday showed a lingering irritation in his right oblique, the team's general manager Perry Minasian announced Saturday.
The lingering irritation in his right oblique shut Ohtani as a hitter, weeks after the torn ulnar collateral ligament stopped him from pitching this season.
"I don't have details on the procedure," Minasian said. "But obviously he wants to get that as quick as he can and start getting ready for '24."
ESPN reported that Ohtani is likely to undergo the Tommy John surgery or an internal bracing procedure or some combination of both, which may rule him out as a pitcher even in the 2024 season. As a doubleheader, Ohtani plans to continue to hit and pitch in his career. According to his agent Nez Balelo of CAA, he will be ready at least to hit when the 2024 season begins.
Shohei Ohtani (R) of the Los Angeles Angels hits during the first inning in the game against the Oakland Athletics at RingCentral Coliseum in Oakland, California, September 3, 2023. /CFP
Ohtani had been performing in an excellent way before injury held him back. He hit .304 at bats with an on-base percentage of .412 and a slugging percentage of .654 while leading the American League (AL) in home runs (44), walks (91) and total bases (325). As a pitcher, he had a 10-5 record with an earned run average of 3.14, 167 strikeouts and 55 walks in 132 innings. He was very likely to win his second AL Most Valuable Player in three seasons.
"Shohei – he's one of a kind," Minasian said. "Great player, great person. I think anybody that knows him, has a chance to talk to him, be around him – he's a team guy. He's a pretty special guy, he's a pretty special player, and it's been a pleasure to get to know him these last three years and hopefully he's here for a long time."
Ohtani will become a free agent after this season and teams will stop at nothing to try to sign him. He has been with the Angels for six seasons but has never appeared in the playoffs. In fact, the team, which is 68-81 by Saturday, is very likely to have the eighth straight losing season, an awkward franchise record.
"That would be a question for him. But I think he really enjoys his time here," Minasian said when asked if the Angels will re-sign Ohtani. "Obviously, he's had three of the greatest – if not the greatest – years any player has ever had. I think he enjoys his teammates and the area and the fan base and the organization. There's a lot of trust and a lot of communication. I hope he's here for a long time."