MLB: Will Japan’s superstar be out by 2020?

Bad news for Shohei Ohtani of the Los Angeles Angels: As an MRI showed, the Japanese suffered “new damage” to his lateral ligament in his right elbow. Team doctors therefore recommend a Tommy John Surgery to the rookie, which would keep him away from the mound until 2020.

Ultimately Ohtani has to decide whether he will have the operation, but according to media reports the Angels are prepared for the worst case, especially since this scenario was already in the room after his original injury, a tear in the sideband.

General Manager Billy Eppler called the news “disappointing” in a telephone conference with media representatives on Wednesday. Among other things, he emphasized that the Angels still see Ohtani as a “two-way player”.

However, Eppler did not yet want to comment on possible business games, whether Ohtani would be available as an outfielder and designated hitter in 2019 if he underwent the operation. However, a meeting with the player is scheduled for Monday after the current away trip to make concrete decisions.

However, the Angels’ medical staff gave the green light that Ohtani could still participate as a DH. He promptly beat two long home runs in a 9-3 win in Texas. However, the Angels did not want to decide whether Ohtani would still be in the lineup at the Chicago White Sox this weekend.

This article was published without previous view by the Major League Baseball.