Shohei Ohtani intends to be in the Angels’ lineup Friday night at Citi Field against the Mets, according to a source familiar with Ohtani’s plans, an indication that he will continue to play as the team’s designated hitter this season as he considers options to repair his torn ulnar collateral ligament.
Ohtani learned of the tear between games of a doubleheader Thursday and played in the second game. Should he undergo a second Tommy John surgery in five years, Ohtani would probably be ready to return to hitting by May of next season and to pitching in 2025. Second Tommy John surgeries typically require longer rehabilitation periods and normally lead to a reduced workload.
Ohtani seemed surprised by the diagnosis of a tear, an indication that he did not experience severe pain entering or during his start Thursday. Similarly, Nathan Eovaldi pitched a scoreless inning in August 2016 when Yankees pitching coach Larry Rothschild noticed his stuff did not look the same. Eovaldi responded by saying his arm “hurt a little bit.” New York pulled him from the game. Upon examination, Eovaldi learned his flexor tendon had torn off the bone and his UCL was damaged.
