Angels’ Shohei Ohtani In Starting Lineup After Elbow Injury

Los Angeles Angels two-way star Shohei Ohtani suffered a torn elbow ligament Wednesday and is back in the starting lineup Friday.

The Angels said he will not pitch again this season because of the injured elbow, per the Associated Press. While he won’t take the mound again the rest of the season, he is set to be the designated hitter in Friday’s 7:10 p.m. ET matchup with the New York Mets.

Without being able to pitch, the Angels phenom looks to continue success at the plate for the time being. Ohtani is slashing .304/.405/.664 heading into Friday’s contest while also leading the league with 44 homers.

Ohtani had Tommy John surgery in 2018 following his rookie campaign and was planning on getting a second opinion to decide if another surgery is necessary, according to the Associated Press.

The 29-year-old is set to enter free agency this offseason after the Angels “rolled the dice” by not dealing him before the Aug. 1 trade deadline.