MORE ELBOW WOES FOR OHTANI
The Los Angeles Angels say two-way Japanese star Shohei Ohtani has new damage in his right elbow and Tommy John surgery has been recommended. The Angels said Ohtani had an MRI on Wednesday in Texas that revealed the problem in his ulnar collateral ligament. He was still in the Angels’ lineup as the designated hitter for their series finale against the Rangers. The 24-year-old rookie was diagnosed with a sprained UCL following a start June 6 and was treated with a platelet-rich plasma injection and an injection of stem cells. He was hitting again in early July and returned to the mound with a start Sunday against the Astros in Houston. Ohtani lasted only 21/3 innings in the start and he had a drastic drop in velocity during the game. Rehabilitation varies, but it often takes a year or more to recover from Tommy John surgery.