Shohei Ohtani traveled with the Los Angeles Angels to New York for a weekend sequence with the Mets and can proceed to be their designated hitter in the intervening time, the membership confirmed Thursday.
The 2-way star was recognized with a torn ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) in his proper elbow on Wednesday, and the Angels mentioned he wouldn’t pitch for the remainder of the 2023 season.
Ohtani, who leads the most important leagues in residence runs, is searching for a second opinion on the UCL tear and can hold swinging his bat for Los Angeles till then.
The correct-hander began the primary recreation of the doubleheader however left after 26 pitches. With a 2-2 depend towards the Reds’ Christian Encarnacion-Strand, Ohtani got here off the mound and seemed to be in ache. Supervisor Phil Nevin and the coaching workers got here out and eliminated Ohtani from the sport.
Ohtani, 29, is ready to develop into a free agent after the season and was broadly anticipated to land the largest contract in baseball historical past.
The three-time All-Star and 2021 American League MVP was having maybe his best season but. He leads the majors in residence runs (44), triples (seven), slugging share (.664) and OPS (1.069). He additionally has 22 doubles, 78 walks and 91 RBIs.
On the mound, he’s 10-5 with a 3.14 ERA whereas holding batters to a .183 common. Ohtani underwent Tommy John surgical procedure after the 2018 season and performed in 106 video games the next season (although he didn’t pitch or play within the area, serving solely as a chosen hitter).
The Angels entered Thursday 10 1/2 video games out of an American League wild-card spot at 61-67.
—Subject Stage Media
