Shohei Ohtani (29, LA Angels), who played as a dual-width hitter in the U.S. Major League Baseball (MLB), ended this year’s regular season early due to injury.
On the 17th (Korean time), the Angels team said, “Ohtani suffered a right side injury and was placed on the 10-day injured list (IL),” adding, “Ohtani will not play in the remaining games.” “It’s official, he’s ending the regular season early,” he announced. Ohtani was diagnosed with right elbow ligament damage last month, making it difficult for him to get on the mound. He planned to play the rest of the season as a batsman only, but injured his side and was out for the season.
Ohtani has been mentioned as a strong candidate for Most Valuable Player (MVP) due to his outstanding performance in both pitches and batting in MLB this season. Ohtani, who played 23 games as a pitcher, recorded 10 wins, 5 losses, and an ERA of 3.14. He appeared in 135 games at the plate and achieved impressive results with a batting average of 0.304, 44 home runs, 95 RBI, and 20 stolen bases.
Ohtani, whose season ended early, is scheduled to undergo surgery to repair a right elbow injury. It has not been decided what type of surgery he will have. If he undergoes surgery, it will be difficult for Ohtani to play as a pitcher next season. Ohtani, who underwent elbow ligament joint surgery (Tommy John surgery) in 2018, did not take the mound in the 2019 season안전놀이터 and played 106 games only as a hitter.
As Ohtani undergoes his second elbow surgery, some predict that it will be difficult for him to double hit in the future. After this season, his contract with the Angels expires and he becomes a free agent. If his two-hitting job becomes difficult, his value is expected to naturally drop. It has been predicted that Ohtani will be the first player in MLB history to sign a mega-contract worth more than 500 million dollars (about 665 billion won).
The possibility of Ohtani leaving the Angels has also increased. However, Angels general manager Perry Minassian said, “Ohtani has taken his belongings out of his locker to focus on his return next year,” and added, “He plans to come to the ballpark for the last game of the season as well. “I hope Otani stays here for a long time,” he said.