It’s Ohtani’s call, but…
Should Ohtani continue to play as a hitter, or should he begin treatment and rehabilitation as soon as possible?
It’s a difficult question. There are clear pros and cons either way. For now, Ohtani and the Angels seem to have decided to take a chance.
Ohtani had a great game at the plate after being ruled “out for the season” by the pitching staff. Ohtani started at second base and made three plate appearances against the New York Mets on April 26 at Citi Field in New York City. He had one hit and drew two walks.
A game where all the focus was on Ohtani. Ohtani started the first game of a doubleheader against the Cincinnati Reds on the 24th, but was pulled after just two innings, causing concern. An examination soon followed, and the results were shocking. He had torn the medial ligament in his right elbow. The pitcher was declared out for the season.
As he will be eligible for free agency at the end of this season, there was a lot of speculation about his future. Some speculated that his price tag would plummet because he wouldn’t be able to pitch next season if he went under the knife, while others argued that his ability and star power as a hitter would be enough to get him a new deal.
The most important thing is to play the rest of the season. The question was whether he could play with a torn elbow ligament. Experts believed that since Ohtani is a left-handed hitter, the right elbow injury would not affect his batting. Ohtani boarded a plane to New York on the 25th, the day of the move. He would play as a pinch-hitter.
He batted second in the lineup against the Mets. In the first inning, Ohtani drew a leadoff walk against Senga, a fellow Japanese. In his second at-bat, he hit a double. It was a sign that injuries couldn’t stop him. With the bases loaded, he hit a double to right field that scored Shanyuel from third. Ohtani’s play put the Angels in scoring position, and they scored two runs in the inning, including the game-winner. Ohtani also came home to score on Mustachus’ single in the fourth.
Ohtani’s hitting streak didn’t stop there. In the fifth inning, with the bases loaded, he drew another walk. He reached base in all three of his at-bats against Senga. If Senga didn’t have a bad day, I don’t know what did, as he struck out 10 and allowed two runs in 6⅔ innings. He gave up four hits and three walks, one of which was to Ohtani.
Ohtani led off the eighth inning with a single and was thrown out at first base. In the top of the ninth, when the Angels drove in a run, he completed a four-out rally with a high fly ball. The Mets remained cautious of Ohtani, even with the elbow injury.
The difference between Ohtani playing and not playing is like the difference between heaven and earth. The pressure on the opponent is completely different. For Ohtani himself, it’s hard to give up on the season. He’s about to become a free agent and could lead the league in home runs. He’s also not far behind in the MVP race. He’s already won 10 games as a starter, so if he can lead the league in home runs, he’s a lock for MVP.토스카지노
However, it’s unlikely that Ohtani’s performance will make much of a difference for the Angels. The Angels are still a long shot to make the postseason. If they do, the injury could be more serious. The fact that Ohtani is able to hit means that the ligament is not completely torn. He’s a left-handed hitter, which means that his right elbow is less stressed, but if he aggravates the injury while hitting, it could make recovery more difficult. Ohtani has already had Tommy John surgery, so his chances of recovery are about half as good once he’s on the operating table. It’s important to keep the injury from being too severe as much as possible.
The sooner he has surgery and starts rehabilitation, the sooner he can return to pitching. The same goes for hitting: if the surgery is delayed, there’s a good chance he won’t pick up a bat for the first half of next year. Even if Ohtani were to end his season now, it’s unlikely that his value would plummet on the free agent market.