Shohei Ohtani’s time as pitcher for the season is over. The Angels would like to make it clear that this is not their fault.
The Los Angeles Angels phenom was diagnosed with a torn UCL earlier this week, likely putting him on the path to a second Tommy John surgery and disrupting what was expected to be the most profitable free agency in MLB history.
It’s devastating news for everyone involved, but the timeline in which the infection was discovered has become a matter of debate for some. Angels general manager Pere Minassian, perhaps feeling the heat, did his best to point out that no injury had gone unnoticed due to the team’s negligence, telling reporters on Saturday that Ohtani and his agent refused to have an MRI earlier this month after he had a stroke. to convulsions at the onset.
Minassian It said Ohtani added that he did not mention any elbow pain until the day the injury was noticed.
A quick timeline of Ohtani’s promotion this month might come in handy here:
Look at this sequence of events and you might wonder if there was reason to believe that Ohtani had already been seriously wounded, or was in danger of being seriously wounded, before he captured the hill on August 23. And the Angels sure seemed poised for his early exit at that time. Today, as they had starting pitcher Tyler Anderson ready to pitch 4 2/3 innings comfortably.
Ohtani was clearly not feeling well for most of the month, leading many to guess the Angels didn’t get a good look at his arm, especially after arm fatigue caused him to miss a start. Minassian’s comment on Saturday places the responsibility for the inaction directly on Ohtani.
Whether it’s fair or not (players often refuse to have an MRI scan if they feel well, Something Angels manager Phil Nevin said Saturday he’s done in his playing career), the decision on how to proceed It belongs entirely to Ohtani.
The 29-year-old is currently seeking second opinions regarding a possible second Tommy John surgery. Ohtani underwent the procedure after his rookie season in 2018 and spent 2019 as a full-time hitter while rehabilitating, but the increased risks of undergoing it a second time could make it more difficult for him to hit in 2024.
Undoubtedly, this will burden the angels and increase his bids for his talents this winter.
