It’s been a disappointing season for the Los Angeles Angels. The final toll came Thursday, when they announced two-way star Shohei Ohtani would have surgery on his left kneecap. Rehabilitation from the procedure takes 10 to 12 weeks, so Ohtani’s 2019 season is over.
The Angels made the move in thoughts of the 2020 season, when Ohtani can resume pitching after being forced into a DH-only role by Tommy John surgery on his elbow last year.
Angels announce that Shohei Ohtani will undergo surgery Friday in Los Angles to address a bipartite patella in his left knee. A general timetable for this procedure is 8-12 weeks for full recovery, per the team.
— Mark Feinsand (@Feinsand) September 12, 2019
Eye on 2020
After Ohtani recovers from the surgery, the Angels hope he can return to the mound to complete his throwing program as he finished rehab from the Tommy John surgery. After that, he’ll rest in hopes he’ll be at full strength for Spring Training.
The surgery is to correct a condition called bipartite patella. That means the kneecap formed as two separate bones and never fused. The condition can cause irritation, which is what Ohtani experienced as he started to pitch.
“It had started to cause Shohei a little apprehension as he was increasing the intensity of his mound progressions,” Angels general manager Billy Eppler said, according to the Associated Press. “It was aggravating him a little bit, so we made the decision to play it safe and not have him continue the mound progressions and get this bipartite condition addressed now.”
Billy Eppler says Shohei Ohtani’s bipartite patella was a congenital issue but did become aggravated during the progression of his pitching rehab which is the reason for the surgery now #Angels
— Taylor Blake Ward (@TaylorBlakeWard) September 12, 2019
Still a unicorn
Ohtani, even though he wasn’t pitching this year, still was a valuable player. He finishes 2019 with a .286 batting average, 18 home runs, 62 RBIs and 12 stolen bases, even though he wasn’t able to play until May.
Even in the past week, Ohtani was hitting .292 (7 for 24) with two home runs and a stolen base. He clearly is a productive Major League hitter.
And for those who forget, Ohtani was one of the better starting pitchers in baseball last year. In limited action, he struck out 63 hitters in 51-2/3 innings with a 3.31 ERA.
Shohei Ohtani can hit baseballs 450 feet away and throw them 100 miles per hour. He’s also hilarious. A look at how he endeared himself to teammates who do not speak his language. … https://t.co/nv4yY6px9o
— Alden Gonzalez (@Alden_Gonzalez) September 12, 2019
