The 162-game season has come to a close, and the title holders have been finalized. And Shohei Ohtani (Los Angeles Angels) has accomplished something that only two other players in Major League Baseball history have done.
Ohtani, who is eligible for free agency after the regular season and postseason, did not play a full season this year. The reason: injuries. Aside from a Tommy John surgery shortly after breaking into the major leagues, Ohtani has never suffered a major injury that significantly impacted his season, but this year was a little different.
Ohtani took the mound for the first game of a doubleheader against the Cincinnati Reds on Aug. 24 and lasted just 1⅓ innings before being pulled. Ohtani missed the first game completely, but returned to the lineup for the second game of the doubleheader, and the injury didn’t appear to be serious. However, the news from manager Perry Minasian after the game was a bit of a shocker. Ohtani had a torn ligament in his right elbow.
A torn elbow ligament is a major injury that can lead to Tommy John surgery. Tommy John surgery typically requires a year or more to return to the mound. In the case of Ryu Hyun-jin (Toronto Blue Jays), he underwent the surgery last year and resumed pitching in July, returning to the major leagues in August. Thanks to recent medical advancements, some athletes have been able to return to the majors after Tommy John surgery and perform better than ever before. However, in some cases, such as Noah Syndergaard, his velocity dropped and he never regained his former form.
Ohtani tore a ligament in his right elbow and was unable to take the mound as a pitcher, but continued to compete at the plate. But the specter of injury would return. Ohtani disappeared from the starting lineup the day after the Oakland Athletics game on September 4. He felt a soreness in his side during training, and an examination revealed inflammation. Head coach Phil Nevin repeatedly stated that Ohtani would be back on the field soon, but he never did, as his condition remained unresolved.
Ohtani packed up his belongings in the locker room on Sept. 16 and was placed on the injured list (IL) on Sept. 17, officially ending his season. Ohtani quickly underwent Tommy John surgery with the goal of hitting in the Opening Day lineup in 2024 and playing “Idoryu” in 2025. While his season ended prematurely due to injury, Ohtani did set one record.
In 135 games at the plate this year, Ohtani hit 151 hits, 44 home runs, 95 RBIs, 102 runs scored, a .304 OPS and a 1.066 slugging percentage, and according to MLB.com’s Sarah Lance, he made history as only the third player in major league history to win the home run title after not hitting a home run after September in 49 years, since Dick Allen in 1974. 메이저사이트
The records didn’t stop there. Ohtani also became the first non-Japanese major leaguer of Asian descent to win the home run title, and the first to win a major league title in the batting category in 19 years, following “legend” Ichiro Suzuki’s victory in 2004.
Ohtani hit 1
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