Shohei Ohtani has been recovering from Tommy John surgery he underwent in October, and all signs point to him being just days away from returning to the Los Angeles Angels’ lineup.
As Jeff Fletcher of the Orange County Register notes, Ohtani had six more plate appearances in a simulated game on Saturday, so he is now up to 50 total. The 24-year-old said this week that he “feels great” and is ready to return, and Fletcher speculates that the Angels could activate him for the start of their three-game series against the Detroit Tigers on Tuesday.
Also, Shohei Ohtani had 6 more PAs today so he’s up to 50. It sure seems like he’s coming back on Tuesday in Detroit, but no promises.
— Jeff Fletcher (@JeffFletcherOCR) May 5, 2019
The Angels are 15-18 and could desperately use some protection behind Mike Trout in their lineup. While Ohtani will not be able to pitch this season because of his surgery, he is expected to serve as a designated hitter and could allow LA to use a platoon of the struggling Albert Pujols and Justin Bour at first base.
Ohtani’s performance in batting practice a couple weeks ago indicated he is feeling no ill effects from the procedure, and the reigning AL Rookie of the Year will almost certainly be an upgrade over any player he replaces in the Angels’ lineup.
