Shohei Ohtani’s plans for remainder of season revealed
Jun 12, 2021; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Los Angeles Angels designated hitter Shohei Ohtani (17) bats against the Arizona Diamondbacks during the eighth inning at Chase Field. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports
Shohei Ohtani will not pitch again in 2023, but will the Los Angeles Angels star shut himself down entirely? That will not be the case.
According to Alden Gonzalez of ESPN, Ohtani is traveling with the Angels and plans to continue to hit in games while he determines his next course of action regarding the tear in his UCL.
Just said this on SportsCenter: Shohei Ohtani will be with the Angels in New York, and it looks like he’ll continue to hit while he decides the next course of action with his UCL tear.
— Alden González (@Alden_Gonzalez) August 24, 2023
It has not yet been decided if Ohtani will need surgery to repair the UCL tear. As long as he does not, there is nothing stopping him from continuing to hit. It is unclear when a decision will be made on whether Ohtani needs an operation or not.
It would be very easy for Ohtani to simply call it a season. He has little to gain from playing through injury, with the Angels entering play Thursday with a 61-67 record. Clearly, he wants to contribute as long as he is able, and deserves some credit for that.
