The Angels hope to turn Shohei Ohtani back into a two-way performer rather early in the 2020 season — just not quite as soon as might have been hoped. He’s presently on track to step back into the rotation in mid-May, Jeff Fletcher of the Orange County Register reports (Twitter link).
It’s generally promising to hear that Ohtani has a course charted for polishing off his Tommy John surgery rehab. But it’s not an especially speedy track. Ohtani received his new ulnar collateral ligament on October 1st of 2018 — a procedure that was delayed to allow him to continue serving as a DH late in that immensely impressive rookie campaign.
It was all but inevitable that Ohtani wouldn’t be able to pitch in 2019. There was never any effort to rush him back — for obvious reasons, given his immense long-term value. But it always seemed reasonable to presume that the uber-talented 25-year-old would be ready to roll at the start of the 2020 campaign, at which time he’ll be more than 18 months removed from his surgery.
Ohtani will still be able to serve as a DH from the jump. But missing another six weeks of his mound work — if indeed he’s able to throw in the majors at the projected point — dents the Halos’ hopes to turn in an impressive start-to-finish season that breaks a postseason drought. Toppling the Astros obviously won’t be easy.
This news adds to the impetus to get another arm in the stable. We discussed that matter earlier today in the context of the team’s collapsed bid to acquire Ross Stripling.
One it was announce that Ohtani could rehab in the minor leagues, this became obvious.
All the more reason to get that trade with the Dodgers back on.
Pull your head out of your arse Arte and let the GM do his job.
It sure seems like Stripling fell into our laps.
As my mom always use to say, “Don’t cut of your nose to spite your face”. It looks like Arte did exactly that. I hope the Angels have something else up their sleeve.
I couldn’t agree with you more arte does his own thing he talked about pitching all winter long and what Does arte do signs Anthony Randon a third baseman Stay out of baseball decisions that have to do with free agent players let your GM do his job even though Billy Eppler probably be fired next year
Please learn to punctuate… or just stop writing.
Don’t be a dick.
He’s not aa Dick. He’s a Richard.
Exciting stuff. Hes probably the games biggest spectacle.
“The Angels hope to turn Shohei Ohtani back into a two-way performer rather early in the 2020 season — just not quite as soon as might have been hoped.” Hey Jeff, please correct your terrible grammar. It’s pretty annoying when you make such ambiguous and contradictory opening remarks in an article. “Rather Early?” “Just not quite as soon?” Stop writing like a toddler..
It is rather early in the 2020 season And it’s not as soon as most Angel fans hoped.
How on earth is that ambiguous?
The Angels play the Astros ten times in the first two weeks, missing Ohtani for two starts against the cheaters could be critical in the end.
The question is why did the Angels and/or Ohtani wait so long to get surgery on his knee? This is the reason he won’t be ready ubtil the middle of May.
Learn how to read and use your brain. I don’t think anybody else had issues understanding the point of this article.
“Stop writing like a toddler..” while you complain like one.
Better yet, Troutfarm, how about you stop writing altogether.
Your comment is ambiguous. It’s obvious that you’re literate, just very unclear as to how literate.
Bitter Angels fan watching the last hopes of the SP allowing the team to compete fade away!
Ya.. I can’t believe how bad the grammar is. I mean we’re paying good money for this subscription.
I think one of the reasons they’re targeting mid-May is not that he won’t be ready earlier, but that they want to put him on an innings limit, and IF they’re somehow in the playoff race down the stretch, or even make it in, they’d want him available then.
He can pitch once every seven days in the playoffs, oh boy.
Because the regular season and the playoffs are exactly the same, and guys that are used to pitching on four days rest don’t sometimes pitch on three, right? If they can do that, I’m sure Ohtani would be ok pitching more often in the postseason himself.
I was wondering the same thing. However, I wonder how many rehab games he’ll pitch in down on the farm–after all, innings in the minors are still innings.
Did anyone think Ohtani was going to pich 125 innings? He’ll probably get about 15 to 18 starts. That’s puts him at 90 to 120 innings.
That seems about right.
Me. I had his ceiling right at 120-130IP, 18-20 starts. If he pitched every Sunday game that would’ve been 26 possible starts, I knew he’d miss a few, 18-20 starts seems about right to me.
Better to ease him into the season, give him a lighter pitching load the 1st half and finish strong the second half.
The games in the first half count as much as the games in the second half. Hopefully, the Angels will stop babying him sometime and have him lead a five man starting rotation.
Yeah of course they do. Considering he pitched 50IP in 2018 and had TJ + 0IP in 2019 he’s likely on a innings limit for 2020. Now do you want him loading up innings in April/May and have him gassed and shutdown in Sept with 140IP even if they are in contention?
Or
Let him regain the arm strength and stamina in Spring training into early May then let him go 18-20 starts and finish the season with possible playoff games?
He misses 8 starts with this start date. He still gets 23-25 starts in 5 man rotation. Ball had already said that they were going to limit him to 140-150 IP. This also means we get Ohtani on the mound when it counts down the stretch.
Good thing the Angels traded for Stripling! Oh wait……
Good thing we blew getting Stripling. Much needed innings off the hill and a very welcomed bat and glove for the outfield. But why improve when you can throw temper tantrums?
I am very disappointed. Stripling would have been a significant upgrade to the rotation. Relatively cheap, quality pitcher with 3 years of control. It is like Arte ordered a gift horse on his Amazon prime. He got upset when the gift horse arrived a couple days late. He threw a tissy fit and refused to look the gift horse in the mouth.
This has to be the 2nd worst move due to Arte next to Vernon Wells. I don’t blame him for Pujols even though Pujols hasn’t exactly worked out as planned. He was still the best hitter in the game at the time of the signing.
What’s the medical recommendation on his innings this year? Threw 50 innings two years ago, none last year. Under 100 I would presume. Angels don’t have a great track record with pitcher injuries. Wouldn’t shock me if they’re still throwing him out there in September though.
Andy Ball said they were going to limit Ohtani to about 140-150 IP this year.
Typical Halo Clown fashion…. They get in their clown car and drive in circles.