It was predicted that LA Angels Shohei Ohtani would end the season early to undergo elbow surgery.
USA Today reporter Bob Nightingale reported on the 4th (Korean time), ‘Ohtani will decide on surgery sooner than expected. Ohtani has yet to publicly state his position, but those familiar with his thoughts believe he will miss the season within the next 10 days and undergo Tommy John Surgery (TJS) to rebuild his medial collateral ligament (UCL). .
Ohtani was diagnosed with a ruptured right elbow ligament right after he finished pitching in the first game of a doubleheader against the Cincinnati Reds on the 24th of last month. At that time, Otani voluntarily resigned while pitching in the second inning, complaining of fatigue in his elbow. An MRI examination showed that the ligament was torn, and general manager Perry Minassian said, “It is a different area than when I received my first TJS five years ago.”
However, Ohtani played in the second game of the doubleheader as a designated hitter, and has continued to play without a day off since then. In relation to this, Ken Rosenthal, a reporter for The Athletic, argued, ‘It is reasonable to believe that one of the reasons Ohtani has delayed receiving TJS, which he would have received anyway, is because free agency is imminent.’
However, the view around Otani is that now is the time to make a decision.
Reporter Nightingale said, ‘The Angels will begin a 7-game home game starting on the 5th, and it makes sense for Ohtani to play until that period and then declare the season over.’ If he receives TJS, the possibility of him standing on the mound in 2024 will disappear, but he will become a designated hitter. He added, “I will be guaranteed a physical condition that allows me to run.”
Meanwhile, regarding Ohtani’s free agent contract, he said, “Ohtani, who has not given up the idea of staying with the Angels, wants the largest contract in Major League history, but his expectations may be wrong because of TJS.” He added, “The clubs are now seeing Ohtani as an elite power hitter. If he returns to the mound in 2025, that would be a bonus. Therefore, the new contract will include incentive and bonus provisions if he returns as a pitcher, and will necessarily include an opt-out. He explained, “If the total amount is less than $500 million, there is a possibility that the Angels may renew the contract.”
However, with the prevailing view that Ohtani’s price will exceed $500 million, some media outlets predict that teams such as the Los Angeles Dodgers, San Francisco Giants, San Diego Padres, and Seattle Mariners will attack him aggressively.
When do these teams actually prefer Otani to receive TJS? The general feeling is that the sooner the surgery, the better. Bleacher Report said on this day, ‘Ohtani’s market value will not decrease significantly,’ and ‘Teams will hope to have surgery as soon as possible. This is because quick surgery is a more certain solution than a microscopic procedure (rehabilitation) that may accelerate the return time but may not fully resolve the elbow problem.’
Summarizing foreign media reports, it can be interpreted that Ohtani and the Angels have already received a secondary diagnosis for his elbow condition and are considering it. It seems that Otani ultimately decided to undergo TJS after 5 years after people around him recommended a quick surgery.
By: 먹튀검증디비