As reported by quite a few sources (together with Jeff Fletcher of the Orange County Register), most of Shohei Ohtani’s belongings had been faraway from the celebrity’s locker at Angel Stadium final night time. The Angels are anticipated to offer an replace on Ohtani’s standing later as we speak.
Following Friday night time’s 11-2 loss to the Tigers, Angels reporters seen lots of Ohtani’s possessions both packed up or lacking fully. Crew employees declined to offer solutions, aside from to state that extra info can be made out there on Saturday.
The AL MVP frontrunner has not pitched in a recreation since August 23 nor taken a plate look since September 3. He’s coping with a tear in his proper UCL, which prematurely ended his season as a pitcher, and irritation in his proper indirect, which has saved him out fully for the previous 11 video games.
When Ohtani initially suffered his indirect harm, supervisor Phil Nevin informed reporters (together with Alden Gonzalez of ESPN) that it was “only a tiny little bit of irritation,” and he didn’t count on Ohtani to require a stint on the injured listing. Nonetheless, he additionally acknowledged that indirect accidents “will be finicky at instances,” so the Angels would take issues day-to-day with their star participant and never rush him again onto the sector. It’s attainable that the problem has become one thing extra than simply “minor” irritation.
Earlier this month, Ohtani’s agent Nez Balelo mentioned it was “inevitable” his shopper would require an elbow process to restore his UCL this offseason. Given the uncertainty surrounding Ohtani’s indirect harm, maybe he and the Angels have determined to get an early begin on such a process. The 2-way star has made it clear on a number of events that he needs to play out the 2023 season. Nonetheless, the Angels are all however eradicated from postseason competition, and the earlier he addresses his elbow issues, the extra interesting he’ll be to potential suitors in free company. If his indirect harm might preserve him on the shelf for the remainder of the season anyway, he is perhaps sensible to get his UCL mounted sooner quite than later.
That mentioned, it stays unclear if Ohtani’s empty locker has something to do together with his indirect or his UCL; there could possibly be a completely unrelated rationalization. Nonetheless, contemplating the announcement anticipated later as we speak, it feels secure to presume that is extra than simply routine clubhouse cleansing.
