Angels right-hander Shohei Ohtani has been diagnosed with a Grade 1-2 flexor pronator mass strain, the team announced. Ohtani is unlikely to begin throwing for at least four to six weeks. He’s day-to-day as the club’s designated hitter.
Considering the timeline the Angels provided, it doesn’t seem probable that Ohtani will factor into their rotation again this season. With so little time left in the season, a bullpen role might be a best-case scenario. Either way, it’s yet another awful blow to Ohtani’s attempt to become a two-way star in the majors. He has dealt with multiple injuries – including Tommy John surgery – that have limited him to 53 1/3 innings since he emigrated from Japan as a much-ballyhooed prospect prior to the 2017 season.
Ohtani didn’t pitch at all last season after undergoing TJS, and his return from the procedure didn’t go well this year before this latest issue. He made two starts and could only muster a combined 1 2/3 innings, in which the 26-year-old allowed seven earned runs on three hits and eight walks (with three strikeouts). Ohtani’s average fastball also fell below 94 mph, well under the near-97 mph mean he posted as a rookie.
Already off to a dismal 3-7 start this season, the Ohtani news is one of the last things the Angels needed at the 10-game mark. Fortunately for the Halos, there have been bright spots in their starting staff this season in the form of Dylan Bundy, Griffin Canning and Andrew Heaney. Some combination of Patrick Sandoval, Matt Andriese and Julio Teheran figure to round out their Ohtani-less rotation.
While the loss of Ohtani takes away a potential front-line starter from their staff, it shouldn’t stop him from factoring in as a DH option. Even when he was recovering from TJS last year, Ohtani turned in a solid .286/.343/.505 line with 18 home runs and 12 stolen bases across 425 plate appearances. He’s off to a rough start at the plate this year, though, having batted .148/.179/.407 with a pair of HRs in 28 PA.
When are they going to realize this guy is not meant to be a starting pitcher NMLB.
Right, like he is the only pitcher who has arm issues.
You guys kill me.
He is being asked to do something no player has done in 100 years — start and hit at a high level.
They are better off letting him DH or play 1B full time, then use him out of the bullpen, where his arm doesn’t endure as much stress. That also would let him play more routinely as an offensive player.
He could easily close, but starting is too much of a burden right now.
I like the bullpen idea. I wonder how his harm would hold up to shorter yet more consistent efforts. What he’s doing now isn’t working.
No, you Halo fans who insist that this guy is the second coming just kill the rest of us baseball fans…….285 over 2 years, with 10 starts and a 3.31 ERA and you guys in La La land want to call him the best of all time!
Second coming? Hyberbolize much? You’re using batting average.
Man what a dope.
He’s 26, so probably in about 10 years?
He just turned 26. So I guess Puk should just retire. Like Ohtani, he’s in his age 25 season.
Exactly! I have been saying this for a while and now there’s a lot of goats that come out and attack me. The bottom line is this guy cannot pitch but yes the fan base wants to hype him up.
They should allow Ohtani to have the career that he wants. I’m sure a big part of their pitch that won Shohei over was that they would do just that. If he wants to continue to try to be a two way player, let him go for it. If he wants to focus on hitting then that’s great too
john. Is the excuse now is that the Angels will not let Ohtani be a two player. Every team wins the World Series every year with excuses.
John.
That post was too sensible.
Really? What makes you a expert on pitching.? He has front of rotation aresonal.
Why is he not meant to be?
It’s not that he can’t do it, it’s that they were not careful enough after his Tommy John Surgery.
18 months is a normal timeline for a normal workload. If someone is going to have a higher workload (ie: also fielding, throwing and hitting), then they need a longer timetable.
It actually takes years to heal and re-strengthen ligaments. 18 months is just the point at which you can just barely get away with pitching again. That’s why the best TJS success stories are those who had 18 months and then still had limits to their workload in the first couple of years back, like Strasburg.
He has the talent. Does he have the health?
I would like to know how much he pitched as a youth. The pitch counts in some Japanese tournaments border on child abuse.
Well there are many clueless people who don’t realize that The angels have actually been horrid and quite embarrassing and this guy can’t pitch, a bad combination
Might be smart to scrap this 2-way player idea.
They are not going to scrap the two way thing, It’s a setback. But unlike other pitchers who have set backs, this guy can hit.
He’s not hitting when he’s hurt.
“He’s not hitting when he’s hurt.”
Huh? You really should research before you make comments like.
1) The day he found out he needed TJ surgery, he hit 2 HRs.
2) The Angels announced he’s the primary DH.
I get that, but he’s already having arm problems after recovering from Tommy John surgery. That has to raise some serisous concerns. While I don’t think they should completely abandon the two-way thing just yet, maybe whenever he does return, they could do something like the Pirates have been doing. Piggy backing starts where one guy goes 3 innings and then put in a long reliever for another 3 or 4 innings. If they do that with Ohtani, it would limit his innings and pitch count.
Oh yeh Halo fan….that .285 stick is just killing the entire league!
You are using batting average. You don’t know a lot about the game. That’s obvious.
I’d say he’s a top 25 batter the past two years. He ranks 19th in wRC+, 24th in OPS and 26th in wOBA (min. 700 plate appearances). If at the very worst he’s a backend starter, or a solid relief pitcher, then I would easily take that for a guy who hits .285/.350/.550 with 25 long balls.
He’s trying to out Stanton Giancarlo.
Maybe time to look into using this guy as a reliever? He’s clearly got the stuff to pitch in the bigs, but he can’t seem to stay healthy. DH/4th OF/shutdown RP seems like a good way to get him action on all sides of the ball while hopefully managing his health.
ntorsky.
I’ve heard that before. But getting up, getting down and pitching a few times a week is not less taxing on an arm.
@Halo11Fan. They would be lucky to get any production from him this year. His arm is Swiss cheese. His value will be 0 or less this year – bank on that! Go back to being a COVID denier on every thread because the Angels are done this year. 3-7 what a joke of a team! Lmfao
His arm is not swiss cheese and he’s recovering from TJ. Sometimes that takes a couple of years. Sometimes it takes three years. Sometimes it takes 18 months.
Puk had TJ surgery over two years ago Corbin had TJ surgery in late 2013. In 2016 he had an ERA over five.
Sometimes I wonder if fans don’t follow the game.
This is true. I wonder what the best strategy is to both monitor his workload and make sure he gets high leverage innings, because he’s clearly good enough to be the guy you want on the mound with the game on the line.
Throwing 60 innings per year in relief as opposed to 120-180 innings as a starter tends to be less taxing on pitchers’ arms. A wise Manager, like Joe Maddon, probably wouldn’t have him warming up in the first place if he were not committed to bringing a pitcher like Ohtani into a game.
It’s pretty obvious most of you have disdain for the Angels in general. I’m sure it’s because you can’t stand the fact Trout and Ohtani are on the Angels and not your team. The Angels are not going to pull plug on Ohtani pitching. That will only happen if Ohtani wants to focus on hitting only.
I don’t have anything against the Angels. In fact, I would go so far as to say they’re my favorite team in the division. I’m more thinking aloud about how to get the most value out of the Ohtani investment. I’m not suggesting he should stop pitching, I just don’t know what the best course of action is to make sure he can stay healthy.
Does he get half pay for only doing half the job he was hired for?
he is still getting paid mlb minimum! bet you intentionally ignored the fact just to troll.
That’s a fair salary
troll
Or, just a guy with an opinion on an article, but hey, your opinion counts the most. BTW, most jobs in real life don’t pay you fully when you perform at 25%, just saying.
Are you 12?
This was a very good joke. The toolbags responding in jest overlooked the humor.
judging by your username, you are a troll. go away.
I really want him to succeed since he could be such a game changer in the league. At this point, I’d just love to see one full season with him doing both.
No more Shohei Sunday’s
Sorry Angels fan but this guy is a fake
but you’d love to have him in the team you root for!
The guy is one of the best hitters in baseball. But he’s a fake.
People kill me.
I guess AJ Puk is a fake as well. They are both in their age 25 season.
One of the best hitters in baseball?! LMFAO by what measure? Get the F out of here, homer. 55th best OPS in the majors last year. Current OPS .586 – sub replacement level. Try having a good opinion for once, all your comments suck haha
Pangolin, I used wRC+ He’s 24th since 2018. I would consider that one of the best hitters in baseball.
Ahead of Brantly, Acuna, Goldschmidt. You people are nuts.
Pang you sound slightly challenged. If by your weak standards, like to hold current in game stats as a clear representation of player then trout would be in the same space. So far in his short career ohtani has shown to be a generation player whom can’t stay healthy. I suggest you get glasses because your eyes can’t evaluate true talent. Troll.
A generational player??? Are you kidding?? Trout Yelich Bellinger. Judge? He’s not even close..
Lmfao. He is marginal at best. Keep smoking whatever you need to get through the day.
His arm is shredded. TJS plus flexor strain = zero trade value. Wake up, moron. He would be lucky to pitch this season or hit worth a damn. Go back to posting COVID denier conspiracy theories, idiot.
what is with your whataboutism involving Puk? he’s not Hillary Clinton…
you sure have a hard-on for the A’s. one of those self loathing Angels fans.
His arm is shredded
OK, it’s obvious you don’t follow baseball.
I bring up Puk because of similarities. And I also find it amazing how so many think the A’s staff doesn’t have question marks.
Luzardo no major league starts. Huge injury. He’s going to be a star.
Puk no major league starts, Huge Injury, He’s going to be a star.
Manea, huge injury. He;s really good.
Montas, stunk, got caught using PEDs. No issue at all. He’ll be great.
My fascination is the inconsistency of fans.
Huh, what a hypocrite. And you’re so condescending about it, too. That’s pretty incredible. I don’t know what the A’s did to you, but letting them live rent free in your mind is for sure not good for you. You might want to see a therapist or something for that.
And for the records, the people who matter have the same concerns about the A’s staff you do, but it’s natural for fans to see a sample size of productivity and stuff and get excited. You do the same exact thing, whether you choose to believe it or not. The same concerns you seem to have about Puk, Luzardo, Manaea and Montas apply to Ohtani. Guys with injury histories that can’t seem to string full healthy seasons together.
Every fan likes to see the best in their team’s players. Shoot, I have seen fans on here of more than 10 different teams all swear that THEIR team has the best pitching staff in mlb. They don’t.
The A’s have huge young pitching talent in their rotation. Yes they have major questions, but if only 1 or 2 of their guys work out they are in pretty good shape. The Angel’s staff has just as many question marks, probably more, and a whole lot less upside potential.
I am not a fan of either of these teams. Well maybe I go a little more for the Angels, but this is how many if not most non-fans see things.
athleticsnchill
I never go on a A’s thread and talk smack. PItching wise I think Puk and Ohtani are very similar.
I don’t like Montas because he’s a PED user, but when he got busted I didn’t go on an A’s thread and talk smack.
Luzardo has a chance to be great. But he has zero major league starts and is coming off a major injury. Can we hold off putting him on the All-Star team.
Bassit, Fiers, Manaea are not impressive. I’d much rather have Heaney and Canning than Manaea. But I’m sure you would rather have your guys.
I am starting to think you are just jealous of the A’s. If you are comparing pitching, why not also address other teams? Why strictly the A’s?
It sounds like jealousy towards the A’s.
Of course you don’t go into A’s threads and talk smack, you do it in threads about your own team’s players where you’re less likely to see any resistance from the fans of that team.
As for what you’d prefer, that’s really your preference I suppose, but I’m going to take the pitchers that have contributed to teams that each won 97 games. Whether you like it or not, Manaea, Fiers and Bassitt were each major contributors to our teams in 2018 and 2019.
I do it because A’s threads are your house and baseball fans are optimistic. But if you want me to talk on the A’s threads let me know.
I bring up the A’s because TV has them as my local team and it’s just amazing how no one questions their pitching.
Last week I’m watching Bundy pitch against Manaea.. and for most of the game the A’s announcers were just waiting for Bundy to get ripped while saying how good Manaea looked.
I’m not jealous of a team that hasn’t won a playoff series in almost 30 years.
Not a fake, but sadly, brittle.
Damn, sad news for baseball in general. Was rooting for the guy. Maybe wasn’t the best idea to leave him in for over 40 pitches in 1 inning?
Joe Maddon is an idiot for leaving him out there to throw 42 pitches while he walked five people and was clearly laboring.
Put. Him. In. The. Pen.
It’s the sensible solution that will still give him value as a two way player, but not stress out his body.
I don’t understand why this has never been seriously considered. College players manage the workload just fine.
Just move to the OF full time.
In August 2019 he should’ve gone down to the minors and thrown some innings, working out issues and building up strength. He didn’t because he was hitting. So he should’ve gone to the minors this April to work on his pitching. Of course there aren’t minor leagues. So that didn’t happen.
Like any player recovering from TJ he needs to work through a regimen of throwing and building himself up. Only then can he be a two way player.
In my opinion, he should have stuck with one.
Guess I side with a lot of the fellas. I think being a reliever might be the best use of Ohtani.
I felt this way before this injury.
– keep his bat in the lineup; it certainly plays.
– get more appearances from him on the mound
– doesn’t mess with the other starters
He’s obviously one helluvan athlete. Seems he could pick up playing First Base? Maybe RF? Think of the flexibility this would allow for in-game machinations.
Would the three batter rule apply to a position player?
Does anyone else here think that maybe, just maybe the Angels made Ohtani certain promises about letting him both start and hit? I mean EVERY FREAKIN TEAM in baseball would have sold their soul to get this guy. He plainly stated that he would only sign with a team that would let him both start AND hit. The Angels made him that promise.
Holy smokes it’s late, @javia!
That’s an interesting thought.
Personally, I never considered that. I don’t see how it could have been written into his contract. But you raise a good point as to what he was told in person.
Huh.
I am sure it is not written into his contract. I am sure it was just a verbal, handshake kind of thing. But he made it very clear that he would only play for a team who let him do both.
The Angels obviously could just reneg and have him only play the field and possibly relieve, but that is dangerous. He will be angry and unhappy and those players tend to not perform well.
I’ve had Chipotle craps more solid than this guy’s arm.
Upvote
Angels keep striking fool’s gold.
The type of injury that can lead to elbow problems. If he’s to carry forth as a pitcher, you’ve got to wonder whether even DHing is smart at this point.
I like a 5 man rotation of Bundy, Canning, Heaney, Sandoval and Teheran anyway. It’s the bullpen that’s killing us anyway. 5 blown saves in 10 games!?!?!. 5 blown saves even though we leave an army of people on base every single game.
3-7. The Angels are done. Garbage team that can’t put anything together despite a sky high payroll. Worst run team in the league.
Absolutely the most over hyped player ever!! So happy he chose the Halos. He’s a solid dh and he’s best suited to be a closer.. that’s if he can throw strikes
Ever? I can think of more overhyped Angels going back to Rick Reichardt.
Over-hyped Angels. Is there such a thing?
Brandon Wood?!?
He wasn’t over hyped. Aybar beat him out in spring training. He was never handed the job. Plus there are lots of prospects that don’t make it. I don’t call them over hyped.
Bo Jackson was over-hyped. He’s not close to the hitter that Ohtani is. 250/309/474 slash line. But when you do things that no one does before, people are interested.
Bo Jackson??? Your going to put these 2 in the same sentence! Come on. Ohtani was dubbed as Japan’s version of Babe Ruth. Babe Ruth! Lol I do however understand it’s hard to live up to the hype. But he’s No Bo Jackson. Unless he’s playing football in the XFL somewhere
Put Bo Jackson in today’s era, attach some elbow pads and hand guards and his stats would shoot to the moon. Add about 30 points to his average, 40 to his OBP and he’d have over .500 slugging, easily.
Wow, Ohtani and Bo Jackson is truly no comparison. Bo Jackson played two professional sports at levels Ohtani can’t even comprehend. After all, he has been primarily a DH, and at best, a corner outfielder.
Nobody is saying he isn’t a talented guy, but he isn’t even the best guy at any position on his own team.
Thank you
He has been successful at everything he has done on the field with the angels. How can you say he is the most overhyped player ever. There have been super overhyped players who never accomplished anything on the field
Angel fans are in denial. Every new Angels player is an instant Hall of Famer.
You know Ohtani is a good player but Angels fans have been absolutely delusional over his stats through this 3rd season when they constantly hype this guy as best of all time etc…..
I don’t think anyone has referred to him as the best of all time. He has tremendous potential to be an above average player on the mound and with the bat. I think a rehab assignment would have done him good instead of getting right back at it.
Really? Who have the Angel fans said is a HOF Player outside of Trout?
I still don’t get the two-way designation for a player that has never actually played a defensive position in the Major Leagues
Agreed…having to play defense would stain the image when Angels fans scream GOAT!
When you’re pitching you’re wearing a glove. Youre defending your position. A pitcher occasionally throws out a runner.
Well, it could have been a worse diagnosis. I say let him rest the arm for 2020 and DH him only. Then try again in camp in 2021.
Hopefully Ohtani will recover. His biggest challenge will be to show he can actually play a full season. He probably can do it, if he sticks to outfield/dh.
Injury-proned bust.
Ohtani is one of the top 25 hitters in baseball yet he’s a bust. You people are hillarious.
I’m just curious, what’s your team.
As a 2-way player, which is what the Angels paid the transfer fees and signed him for, right now he’s looking like a bust. If he focused on hitting he’d probably break top 10. He’s that talented. But while he’s chasing the dream of being the first 2-way player since World War 1 he’s limiting his ceiling.
Ohtani’s best bet for a major league career is to forget about pitching, learn to play a position competently enough to not be labeled a DH for his entire career (or just be a DH) and concentrate on hitting. There’s a reason why there haven’t been any long term 2-way players in baseball. It’s not that easy!
What a surprise.
Folks when Ohtani was shopping himself around to teams years ago, in these very pages, I reported that he would never be a successful pitcher in MLB because his arm and shoulder couldn’t hold up to MLB levels.
However I did report that if he was used primarily as an outfielder he would be an All-Star. Everyone better get used to the fact that Ohtani is a one position player only and not the phenom everyone thought. #Scoutseyes