Japanese two-way sensation Shohei Ohtani has finally opted to undergo Tommy John ligament replacement surgery on his damaged right elbow, the Los Angeles Angels announced on Tuesday.
Dr. Neal ElAttrache, one of the foremost orthopedic surgeons in the field, will perform the surgery next week. He’s the team physician of the Los Angeles Dodgers and is based at the famous Cedars-Sinai Kerlan-Jobe Institute in Los Angeles.
Despite the right elbow injury which has limited his use as a starting pitcher, the two-way playing Ohtani had a record-setting inaugural Major League year, becoming the first player since Babe Ruth in 1919 to throw at least 50 innings and have 250 plate appearances in the same season.
Because of a diagnosed tear in his ulnar collateral ligament, the Japanese-born Ohtani has only started once since June 6.
The surgery has a 12 to 18-month recovery time, which means Ohtani will miss the entire 2019 season as a pitcher. He could return earlier as a hitter, but there’s no template for that, of course.
Angels manager Mike Scioscia speculated earlier this month that Ohtani would have the surgery.
“Oh, I think 100 percent there’s no doubt about him getting back out on the mound,” Scioscia said. “We’ve talked about the dynamics of a guy getting 22, 24 starts and being able to control a game even more than you do with your four at bats on a daily basis.
“I think everyone’s excited for him to get over this, get back on the mound, hopefully never look back, and be that two-way player he has the potential to be.”
When Ohtani pitched at full-strength early in the season he was nothing short of spectacular, mixing four other pitches with a potent 98-miles per hour fastball. He was 4-1 with a 3.35 ERA in seven starts through a two-run, six-hit, nine strikeout, 7 2/3 innings, season-high 110-pitch win over Tampa Bay at home on May 20.
At that point, the elbow injury began taking its toll and he never was the same pitcher again logging 11 2/3 innings in three starts from May 30 to Sept. 2.
In between he had multiple MRIs and palliative shots in the elbow that led to the ultimate diagnosis that he needs the dreaded T.J. surgery if wants to be a pitcher again.
Since he was given that news by the Angels on Sept. 5, Ohtani has opted to remain as the Angels’ designated hitter. Bad elbow and all, in his last 19 games, he’s batting .294 with six of his 21 homers and 13 of his 56 RBIs.
Ohtani smashed a 428-foot homer at Angel Stadium on Monday night in a 5-4 Angels win over the Rangers in 11 innings.
It’s renowned orthopedic surgeon Dr. James Andrews who has said that teams should now conservatively take up until the full 18 months recovery time to avoid damage to the replacement ligament, which is usually taken from the opposite wrist of the throwing arm. Plus, the Angels are conservative about pitchers recuperating from Tommy John surgery.
Ohtani is a right-handed pitcher and a left-handed hitter, which also leaves his left elbow exposed to being hit every time he comes to the plate.
