Shohei Ohtani has a tear in his ulnar collateral ligament in his pitching elbow. He won’t pitch again this season. Oh, and Mike Trout is back on the injured list.
Elly De La Cruz had to touch Shohei Ohtani just to see if he was real.
Pirates shortstop Oneil Cruz is not returning on schedule from his ankle surgery. There’s no telling when he will be back.
The Reds signed Trey Mancini to a minor league deal. The Guardians and Daniel Norris also have a minor league deal.
Padres relief pitcher Robert Suarez got ejected after a foreign substance check. The Phillies acquired outfielder Brewer Hicklin from the Royals.
Photo credit: Rex Fregosi
Some guy saying this thread shows Darvish knew Ohtani was hurt in July. Kiyo any insights??
https://x.com/faridyu/status/1694748250597650519?s=46&t=9okrAC405BGuMUJ9RAKfkg
Darvish did not say that he knew in July but when Sho skipped his turn two weeks ago, he suspected that it could be UCL. He apparently watched Sho pitch yesterday using MLB.TV and noticed the decreased velocity in the second inning and his suspicion got stronger. So, when he heard that Sho’s UCL was torn, he was not that surprised.
Several additional pertinent points he made during 30 minute Q&A session with Japanese audience.
-He thinks that the second time torn UCL will probably require second surgery. He does not know the extent or degree of tear, but he feels that PRP/conservative therapy will not heal the injury.
-It would take close to 18 months to heal from the second operation as opposed to 14 months with the first one. Thus, it would be ok to delay the surgery until sometime during winter since he would not be able to pitch at all next season but would be ready for the opening day for 2025 season.
-It helps that Sho is left handed batter with right elbow injury. He used Bryce Harper as an example, who came back 6 months after the surgery.
-He does not know what could have caused the tear for the second time. He could not say yes or no to whether participating in WBC or pitch clock rule had anything to do with the injury.
-He believes that there was no prior pain that would’ve signaled Sho that there was going to be UCL injury. With Darvish’s UCL, he first sensed it when he was throwing long distance during spring training and felt uncomfortable around the elbow, followed by noticing the fastball lost velocity.
-He mentioned that many MLB teams would still desire Sho’s service regardless of the injury because he is so popular on and off the field. His presence would instantaneously raise the value of the MLB team that Sho would join.
Thx my guy! Very interesting. Man this all sucks so much. So many emotions first one is to point blame but Sho is such a gamer that even if the Angels told him to chill he probably wouldn’t. Samurai Warrior mode
It is uncanny how playoff contending teams like Houston, Texas, and Blue Jays lose when Angels don’t have a game. The Angels would have been contending if they had more off days after ASG. 😉
BTW, I applaud all of you CtPG posters. You have exceeded 250+ even on an off day and the day after tragically bad news.
Uh Mr Chan We have over 250 comments today BECAUSE of the tragically bad news.
TrAdition!
It’s a whole new layer of worse.
I come here for the bad baseball. But I stay for the bad news😀
I’m not sure which is the worse news, Ohtani or Trout.
Apparently Ohtani plans to continue as a DH. Not sure why, but I respect it.
https://bleacherreport.com/articles/10087201-shohei-ohtani-rumors-angels-star-plans-to-continue-hitting-despite-ucl-injury
Another reason why I think Sho will pursue no surgery option. Who would pay for the surgery if he undergoes it after the season is over? It will not be the Angels anymore since his contract and health insurance expire as soon as he plays his last game as Angel.
Shohei is making $30 million this season from the Angels and alot more than that on endorsement deals…
I think he can afford the surgery.
According to Hand Surgery of Texas, the cost of Tommy John surgery usually ranges between $15K to $50K. However, an exact number cannot be given without talking to your health insurance provider.
If he pays cash, that may be the first time anyone ever will have done that. I think the hospital cashier is going to be quite confused.
I can also see other MLB teams will offer contracts with Tommy John surgery and “cute” nurses included. 😉
The MLB Players Health Plan would pay. Any player with one day of ML service can buy health insurance (forever). No need to be under contract.
Who Is paying for it? Players or owners? This is from last CBA, not the current one, but I suppose they are similar.
Major League Baseball (MLB) players are covered by the Major League Baseball Players’ Association (MLBPA) collective bargaining agreement (CBA). The MLBPA negotiates with the MLB team owners to provide health insurance for MLB players.According to the most recent CBA, which was agreed upon in December 2019 and runs through the 2021 season, all MLB players are eligible for health insurance coverage through the MLB Players’ Health and Welfare Plan. This plan provides medical, dental, and vision coverage for MLB players and their families. The plan also covers prescription drugs, mental health services, and substance abuse treatment.Additionally, MLB players are eligible for long-term disability coverage through the MLB Players’ Pension Plan. This plan provides benefits to players who are unable to continue playing due to a permanent disability.It’s worth noting that the insurance coverage provided to MLB players is considered to be some of the best among professional athletes, and is often used as a benchmark for other sports leagues when negotiating their own collective bargaining agreements.
Shohei Ohtani is a Warrior/Gamer, I think he’s going the same route when he tore his UCL in 2018. If he’s able to Bat without risking any further injury to the arm, he’s playing. Pretty sure in 2018 they gave him the news that he needed Tommy John Surgery and the very next day he hit 2 Home Runs vs the Texas Rangers. Not sure if he needs Tommy John Surgery this time around or he’ll go the Platelet-Rich Plasma (PRP) route if it’s not a full tear.
I see him being a full time DH in 2024 (No Outfield or Infield stuff to let his arm fully heal). In 2025 it will be interesting to see if he goes back to being a Starting Pitcher and DH/OF/INF (He played RF in Japan or he can test out 1st Base). Time would tell and what Shohei does in the upcoming years, I wouldn’t be surprised to see him switch gears to DH and be a Closer (If he has his 2nd Tommy John Surgery, DH and Starting Pitcher might not be it). Either way, hoping for a speedy recovery where Shohei can remain being an Elite Two Way Player whether it’s with the Angels or another Organization (Still be rooting for the Angels because that’s my team & Shohei too because he’s amazing to watch just as a Baseball fan). If anyone has the Drive to get back to his Two Way Greatness it’s Shohei Ohtani.
Good stuff.
I’m generally not a “root for players on other teams” kinda guy, but I’ll make an exception in Shohei’s case.
Amazing athlete & standup guy.
Is Jeff critical of Driveline, Balelo, Sho, or Minasian? I am confused. I don’t think any of them went to med school.
https://twitter.com/JeffFletcherOCR/status/1694882443633758662
I was just going to post this.
No, I don’t think Fletcher is critical of Driveline. I think he’s just giving perspective as to how Shohei got to where his workload now. They basically “unleashed” him.
I wonder though if there was an extra push by Shohei himself – he was already feeling something’s not right, but with the Angels being buyers for the first time since he’s joined, he felt he needed to “hide any discomfort and/or pain, and continue pushing, because the team did go all in for the playoffs.
And all that pressure eventually caved in…
It’s unfortunate on so many levels. People can question the wisdom of the choices they made, but there is no doubt that Shohei & the front office did everything possible to WIN this year.
Unfortunately every roll of the dice came up snake eyes. It sucks.
I’m commentating on his sheer unselfishness as a player. It would be better for his career & bottom line to shut it down now and yet he’s opting to play in what is basically a lost season.
Totally admirable.
This is all my imaginations, but this is how the conversation between Sho and Dr. ElAttrache went this morning.
Sho: Do I have to have TJS ASAP?
Dr: No.
Sho: Can I continue to bat?
Dr: Yes.
Sho: Cool. I will go to NY.
Dr: Have a nice trip, Sho. I will send you a bill electronically.
The Japanese reporter who informed the readers that Sho got on the team bus this morning (way before Jeff Fletcher or Alden Gonzalez) added the followings.
-Sho appeared around 8 am with Ippei driving. Sho got on the bus while Ippei parked his car and got the ultrasound device that Sho uses for routine elbow care out of the trunk.
-The reporter remembered that the travel bag contained a pitcher’s mitt and concluded that Sho would not stop being a two way player even though he would not pitch for the rest of the season.
Obviously this reporter spends long hours covering Sho and is quite observant and knowledgeable on everything Sho does.
🎺 Oh where art thou Opening Day playoff bound lineup, I fear for you so……..
Well there Curious One I shall ‘splain….
The Angels had high hopes of a return of ’21 Catcher, Stassi, but he is MIA right now and is sipping fine whiskey watching reruns of “Scooby Doo where are you” thinking what suckers those Angels are giving me two yr contract.
Jared Walsh was supposed to anchor First Base, but Advil a last was of no avail. In stepped Lamb and he went to slaughter and last seen in a Von’s meat department.
Drury was the 2b starter and he was lost, but now he is found and has more ailments at this moment, but don’t hold your breath.
Fletcher was Opening Day SS, currently tearing up Triple A pitching, but he lost those so important pictures he had secured, and PTP is not a fan.
Tony Two Bags started out AOK and then sneezed and all the Kings men couldn’t put Tony Two Bags back together again. But worry not-we have a backup-or we did.
“So what happened” the crowd roared, well see, he fell down and broke his Crown, or at least his arse and he too could not be glued back together again.
Curious One asks “Well what the Hell could have possibly happen to the Starting Day Outfield?
I am so happy to address that……
Last year’s RF became this year’s LF, and while he has proven to be oft injured himself, well, he is injured again. You see, a baseball met his face in an unannounced way and bones crunched and he is recovering from said broken bones.
This year’s Cf, the same as we had in ’22, ’21, ’20, ’19. ’18, ’17, ’16….the same one who appears in about half the games, but when he does the fans remember. Well, he too is injured once again and again and again and…….you get the picture, I could draw it for you, oh never mind.
RF, ding, ding, ding you slammed that hammer hard enough to celebrate hitting the bell 3 times, Hunter Renfroe is the only starter still standing, well, sort of.
Dh Opening Day DH is still around, at least I think so, and doing just fine, thank you.
Our best pitcher, no he doesn’t hold Kool-Aid although some here are suspected of partaking, but sadly our best pitcher is down for the count…what’s that you say Curious One? Again, sadly he will be missed for a couple of years, but there is always hope.
You recommend changing out the drinking water and an Exorcist that place. Good idea, I’ll get right on it.
I am reading Japanese newspaper which reported that Sho had undergone MRI after he was taken out in the first game (First, I thought they did portable ultrasound evaluation on his elbow in the training room, definitely not as good as MRI, but passable), and I am almost positive MRI machine would not be operated at Big A, which would require all kinds of messy permissions which include ‘political’ certificate of need. That means that he went to a nearby hospital to have it done, which also explains why he did not remain as DH for the first game. My question is what hospital would provide that service stat near the stadium? I am somewhat surprised that either Jeff, Sammy, or other media members did not notice that Sho went outside the stadium.
95% sure they have one on site.. Remember getting results back on guys including Sho in 2020 super fast. Takes an act of congress to get an on demand MRI’s anywhere else.. even for pro athletes.
There’s an MRI servicing center at UCI as well as at least a couple all around St Joseph’s within a 15 minute drive of the stadium
Makes sense. Probably got the royal treatment.
I had a feeling something was already wrong when he refused the Kabuto and the high-fives in the dugout after the HR. He was already feeling something was wrong and didn’t feel like high-fiving people.
That could very well be the case although at the time I thought he let Ippei wear the Kabuto so that he could prepare himself to pitch the next inning. Yes, it is strange that he declined high-fives.
UC Irvine Medical Center is right around the corner on The City Dr.
I now think there’s a 50% likelihood that Shohei is in Anaheim next year (with a 2025 opt out) and if that’s the case, the Angles should introduce him to an OF glove and a 1B glove.
Maybe play in the field in 2025. He won’t be able to throw from anywhere until then
It looks like I am in the small minority of one, but the fact that Sho opted not to have TJS ASAP leaves considerable likelihood that he will pursue no surgery option. He has essentially half year to let it heal and see what happens. Masahiro Tanaka is a good precedent.
Offering that contract would be detrimental to an already hampered franchise
You may be right, but if it does happen and he’s not going to pitch, they should have him play a position. This would also allow the team to split DH duties between Shohei & Trout, which could only help the latter vis-a-vis injury concerns.
Don’t get me wrong, I dig Ohtani but this team is not going anywhere. especially he cannot pitch. I feel for the guy having this happen.
I’m not disagreeing with you, I’m just positing what the team should do if he is re-signed.
Ohtani the DH/1B/OF is still a great hitter and marketing draw.
I’m also curious to see his numbers as a 29 year solely focused on hitting…..
Probably a 26 opt out more likely since he won’t know his full worth as a pitcher until after the 25 season
Looking back, a possible early warning sign came when I think it was Escobar pinch-hit for Shohei in the 9th inning with the bases loaded
#stupid nevin
Trout is truly made of glass, but this time he may have rushed it too fast while wanting to help Shohei do the improbable and he paid for it.
Another question is if Trout is on iL, who should be added to the active roster? Who will Nevin add? Again two different questions. Candidates include Adams, Cabbage, and Stefanic. It is of note MLB.com Angels roster has not placed Trout on IL despite what Perry said yesterday.
Both Adams and Cabbage are on Bee’s starting lineup on the game about to start tonight, but Stefanic is not. They are playing at Round Rock, TX.
He needs to bring up a pitcher since Ohtani is done pitching and is not going on IR.
The Angels actually had 7 man rotation with Canning’s return before Sho’s injury. I suspect they will go with 6 man rotation of Silseth, Detmers, Canning, Anderson, Giolito and Sandoval.
Rosters expand next week so Im sure the Angels will muddle through it.
I would be curious to see Sam Bachman and Ben Joyce, who are supposedly to return sometime in September. Practically speaking, they will be auditioning for roster spot in 2024 season.
Sam Bankman-Fried is in prison and won’t be out before September. But once he is, he can replace Loup next year,
Thats an Interesting pickup. I’m sure he still has some sway with all the umpires since he paid them all off to wear his patch.
Who will Nevin start tomorrow? Who should Nevin start tomorrow? Two totally different questions. Candidates include Silseth, Canning, Sandoval and Barria who all pitched last Saturday.
Things are so bad now CJ Wilson has climbed out from under all his photo equipment and slithered onto social media to lambast the Halo org. A former malingerer player who has the unmitigated nerve to start squawking.
Hey CJ, how about you pour yourself a nice tall steaming cup of STFU!
Wilson was a part of the same problem as we have now, Getting paid to not perform. FU Wilson.
So what did Mr Straight edge Mazda dealer have to say about the organization ?
Great to see the Asstros score today.
So…..Ohtani could possibly get an 8 year deal from many teams. It would be based around him pitching and hitting in mid 2025 after TJ and DHing in the meantime.
Presuming he plays for the last 5 weeks and performs, I could see an 8 year $360 million deal. 6 years at $50 million and 2 years at $30 million.
Opt out after year 2.
I can see that, teams like the Dodgers are going to have the low time preference and sign him to a long deal being fine with waiting until he can pitch which would be year 2 in his contract
By the way, I am not calling you, ‘midget’, sir.
https://youtu.be/Qxa19wg5wOM?si=U6-7vMqvZ-2yVoRR
I won’t lie but the first thing I thought about when Sho was taken out in the second inning yesterday was thoracic outlet syndrome, which derailed Stephen Strasburg’s career. I hate to say it but I am kinda glad that it was UCL for Sho. It sounds like Strasburg now has difficulties in carrying out simple ADLs. I feel sorry for him; that’s the risk you have to take with surgery option.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2023/08/24/stephen-strasburg-retires/
Walsh suffered from thoracic outlet syndrome and he seems fine.
Zinger of the day award nominee
He had a better doctor.
It sure didn’t help with his performance along with the insomnia
How did Strasburg not end up being an Angel?
Hatred for Boras?
Arte’s choices for the Halos mirror those I have made in my love life.
Trout has been called the GOAT by many for years, arguably of course (it’s baseball) but I was really wondering when the Unicorn would be considered THE GOAT. If this injury stops him from pitching effectively again I think THE GOAT in my time of being a fan would have to be Trout, but I may be biased. Greatest season ever is still the Unicorn.
The most Angels thing that could happen. Poor Sho 🙁
Th Horror
TrA dition