Las Vegas Review-Journal (Sunday)
Angels pray righty Ohtani won’t need elbow surgery
Japanese ace goes on DL with ulnar sprain
MINNEAPOLIS — It was during a rather minor postgame procedure Wednesday that something major suddenly shook the Los Angeles Angels’ season.
While having a finger blister worked on, Shohei Ohtani mentioned to the team’s medical personnel that his right elbow was stiffening.
Tests revealed a Grade 2 sprain of his ulnar collateral ligament, an injury that landed the Japanese star on the 10-day disabled list and and could cost him and the Angels all of what remains of the season.
And it might be worse than that. The team announced the rookie received a platelet-rich plasma and stem cell injection Thursday with hopes of avoiding ligament replacement surgery that could prevent Ohtani from pitching well into the 2019 season, as well.
“Any time you hear that news on any pitcher,” catcher Martin Maldonado said, “I think it’s devastating.”
Ohtani, 23, will be re-evaluated in three weeks, at which point the Angels will have a better understanding of the effectiveness of the more conservative treatment.
General manager Billy Eppler said he is “hopeful” Ohtani can recover without surgery, the Angels already having lost pitchers JC Ramirez, Keynan Middleton and Blake Wood to elbow operations this season.
In December, just after Ohtani became an Angel, medical records leaked to Yahoo Sports indicated that he had a first-degree sprain of the UCL. He reportedly was treated with a platelet-rich plasma injection in October 2017.
The Grade 2 diagnosis this week means the injury worsened as Ohtani was putting together an AllStar caliber start to his big-league career.
“We’re losing two significant parts of our club,” manager Mike Scioscia said. “What he did on the mound to this point is really special. …What he’s done in the batter’s box as a left-handed bat is very important to us.”
Ohtani is 4-1 with a 3.10 ERA and 61 strikeouts in 49⅓ innings over nine starts. As a batter, he’s hitting .289 with six homer runs and 20 RBIs in 34 games.
His emergence had sparked discussion about Ohtani’s potential participation in the upcoming All-Star Game and home run derby. Baseball commissioner Rob Manfred more than once this season has referenced how his popularity has helped the sport overall.
Ohtani was removed from his most recent start against the Kansas City Royals on Wednesday after four innings because of a recurrence of his blister issue, something that derailed him briefly in April.
By all accounts, the Angels knew nothing of his elbow being a concern until he mentioned the stiffness.
After Ohtani threw a season-high 110 pitches on May 20 in a victory over Tampa Bay, his next start was pushed back because of what the Angels described as “workload management.”
He returned to pitch May 30 in Detroit but was limited to five innings because of a pair of rain delays.
“He helps us win, and it’s tough losing somebody who helps you win,” infielder Zack Cozart said. “We just gotta keep playing. Hopefully, Showy comes back later in the year healthy and ready to help us.”
Ohtani’s status as baseball’s first regular two-way player in 100 years makes even his injuries unique.
Eppler said that were he strictly a designated hitter, Ohtani “probably” could continue playing.
Such a decision, however, would risk Ohtani further damaging his elbow, something Eppler said the Angels are unwilling to do.