Dodgers’ Shohei Ohtani Underwent ‘Complicated’ Surgery This Offseason, He Says
Shohei Ohtani remains on track in his quest to return as a two-way player despite undergoing a “complicated surgery” to repair a torn labrum in his left shoulder.
The Los Angeles Dodgers star injured his shoulder while in Game 2 of the World Series against the New York Yankees. He didn’t miss a game and had the procedure done six days after winning his first title on Nov. 5.
“The shoulder surgery was kind of a complicated surgery, the joint is in a complicated place,” Ohtani said at Dodger Fest on Saturday. “From the standpoint of expanding my range of motion, I had to do more than with the elbow.”
Ohtani didn’t pitch at all last season after recovering from a second Tommy John surgery. However, neither procedure should affect his ability to hit. He has been hitting off tees and Roberts has been able to watch some video of his swing.
“For Shohei, batting left-handed, it being his back shoulder is less of a concern,” manager Dave Roberts said.
“You just wouldn’t think that there was any surgery this past winter,” Roberts added.
Roberts expects Ohtani to return to the mound in May.
“It might be earlier,” Roberts added, “but I think that the first thing I said earlier this offseason was it wasn’t going to be in the Japan Series. … Once he gets to spring training and we see where the throwing program is, I think we’ll just go from there.”
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Ohtani has been through this before. He had his first Tommy John surgery in 2018. He made two starts in 2020 and was back to normal in 2021, posting a 3.18 ERA across 23 starts.
It’s hard to compare the two surgeries because Ohtani’s 2020 season was unique due to the COVID-shortened season.
However, the Dodgers don’t think much will change as he prepares to take his place in the team’s six-man rotation.
“I think his shoulder is going to be in a good spot,” said Freddie Freeman, who is also rehabbing from offseason surgery heading into spring rraining. “I mean, he’s got two arms that he’s rehabbing right now, but I think Shohei’s going to be Shohei.”
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Photo Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images
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