Angels GM Billy Eppler said today that he anticipates star pitcher/DH Shohei Ohtani to return as a hitter regardless of his status on the mound, Jim Duquette of Sirius XM Radio tweets (with some audio available on Twitter as well). Ohtani, who had taken the majors by storm this year after coming over from Japan, was diagnosed earlier this month with a grade 2 sprain of the ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow.
Ohtani is set to be evaluated tomorrow after resting for several weeks following a platelet-rich plasma injection. But the medical review will not be necessary to determine his availability to resume hitting. As Eppler explains, if Ohtani “was only a DH … he would’ve been cleared right away.”
Rather, the focus at present is on ensuring that Ohtani has the best possible chance of returning to the mound without requiring Tommy John surgery. Whether or not he’ll even be able to try to accomplish that this season remains to be seen. But it seems there was a concern that allowing him to hit right away could jeopardize the ligament.
The point of the three-week layoff, per Eppler, was to make sure the area around the UCL “has plenty of time to scar and heal.” Presumably, that’s largely what will be assessed tomorrow.
Whatever the likelihood is of Ohtani returning to the bump in 2018, the Halos will surely be anxious to get his bat back in the lineup if possible. Since Ohtani went down, the Halos have gone just 5-11.
I would let him get fully healed. They aren’t going to win the WS this year and he is more valuable as a pitcher.
A player can still hit without putting any stress one a damaged UCL. In other words he can hit and heal at the same time.
As long as he doesn’t play in the field (which he won’t)
Take your time with him. This season is lost. More injured players than healthy. They even lose replacement players who are on the team for a day
Ticket sales, merchandise
Angels issue isnt really starting pitching. Relief and hitting are. Any way they can have him relief and hit?
John Lamb begs to differ regarding SP needs…
” Any way they can have him relief and hit?”. Sure if he throws underhand or with no effort. Hitting and pitching require different motions. Hitting does not transfer stress to the ligament whereas pitching does. Rather pitching overhand (a completely unnatural motion for humans) does. Stress transfers to the ligament at about 75% effort (Dr. Jobe’s words not mine) so if you want Ohtani to play soft toss with the catcher he can pitch, otherwise , no.
Have to imagine that nasty splitter causes a lot of stress on the elbow, too.
Overhand delivery, years of throwing with max effort, playing year rounds as a kid are the main causes.
There is not any real evidence to support the idea that a curve (when throw properly). splitter, slider or any other pitch causes UCL tears. The human arm is not designed to throw overhand especially with the effort commonly used today.
There is a reason javelin throwers also have TJS a lot….it’s an unnatural motion that is magnified by throwing with max effort all of the time, especially when it starts at a young age. That is also the reason that over 50% of all TJS are performed on 15-19 year olds.
Do you even know what you are talking about? SP isn’t an issue but hitting is? Are you alright?
Hes right, you should do some homework.
Angels are 7th best in the AL as starters
Angels are #5 in hitting
They are almost last in bullpen.
its EXTREMELY obvious that half these people don’t even watch baseball….couldn’t tell you why they are on this site…it really is baffling to me
7th in AL starters? That is not good lol, you should do some research.
Anahiem is one of the best pitchers parks in the MLB, and they have a great defense sooo their starting pitching sucks…
To be fair, the issue is injuries haha
John lamb literally looks like a homeless drunk.
Royals great
I hear he’ll eventually need Tommy John.
From?
from c’mon sense, history and stats of past pitchers….but mostly c’mon sense for anyone following baseball
juicemane……Not what I asked.
History and common sense will tell you that, yes, most do require TJS but some never do. Do you realize that in 1986 Nolan Ryan tore his UCL and Dr. Jobe advised he get TJS. He opted not to. Scar tissue and calcification held his arm together for another 7 seasons.
What I asked for was a source, what you gave was platitudes. Every case is different and by the way I started following baseball 12 years before Tommy John had his surgery.
One example from the 80,s hmmmm….lets hear at least 2 or 3 resent success stories? Go back 20 years…tell me what you find…the proverbial ball is in your court…
No, the ball is still squarely in your court. Is reading comprehension optional at whatever government propaganda center you attend?
juicemane…..Being intentionally obtuse is not appealing. You know, or one would assume you do, that not every situation is the same. I used Ryan as an example because he is the only one I am aware of to accept no treatment of any kind and return as if nothing happen. His elbow finally did pop again…7 years later. There are extremes at both ends. Tanaka escaped it, while Burnett had 2 and Isringhausen had 3.
The point is that saying history is a clear indicator and leaving it at that is weak.
Each player is different, it’s plain and simple, simple enough that even you should be able to understand it. Have a nice evening, life is too short to carry this on.
Jury is still out on Price, but last year when Price went on the DL, he said if he was younger he would have had TJS, but he opted to rest and let it heal on its own.
John Lamb looks like Jabba the Hutts neck got transfixed to a schizo version of Ed Sheeren
I would be surprised if the team doctor cleared him to DH after the inevitable TJ surgery down the line…..