Los Angeles Angels star Shohei Ohtani might have to wait until the 2022 MLB season to return to the mound. Ohtani is dealing with a sore arm, and this might prompt the Angels to shut him down as a pitcher for the remainder of the current campaign, according to the team’s manager Joe Maddon.
During a press conference on Thursday, Maddon revealed that Ohtani felt discomfort in his pitching arm while playing catch on practice. If the issue continues to bother the AL MVP favorite, he will only see action as a designated hitter moving forward.
“If there’s any kind of lingering soreness, you may not see him pitch,” said Maddon.
Ohtani, who hasn’t pitched since September 10th, is 9-2 as a starter for the Angels this season and has a 3.36 ERA with 136 strikeouts. And while Maddon would like to see the Japanese phenom get his 10th win in 2021, the team will prioritize his long-term health.
“You can’t let that be the driving factor,” he added.
The soreness in his arm isn’t expected to slow down Shohei Ohtani at-bats, however. He currently ranks second in the league in home runs with 44, trailing only the Toronto Blue Jays’ Vladimir Guerrero Jr., who has 45. Ohtani also boasts a .254 batting average and has 94 RBIs.
