Shohei Ohtani’s season (as a pitcher, at least) is over.
The Los Angeles Angels two-way star was diagnosed with a “grade 1-2 strain of the flexor pronator mass.” Ohtani originally wasn’t going to throw for four-to-six weeks, but it appears a decision was made to not have him pitch again in the shortened 2020 Major League Baseball season.
Manager Joe Maddon confirmed the news ahead of Los Angeles’ game against the Seattle Mariners, via USA TODAY Sports’ Bob Nightengale.
Shohei Ohtani will definitely not pitch again in 2020, #Angels manager Joe Maddon says.
— Bob Nightengale (@BNightengale) August 4, 2020
According to ESPN’s Alden Gonzalez, the team still sees him as a two-way player and believes Ohtani “will benefit from a full, normal spring training.”
He underwent Tommy John surgery in 2018, so it probably was fair to wonder whether the Angels still would utilize him as such. But that appears to be the case.
Ohtani still is day-to-day as a designated hitter.
