It was a ‘mystery’ that left even his teammates with ‘questions’. Shohei Ohtani was placed on the injured list (IL), ending his season. As he was about to become a free agent, it became clear that it would be his last time with the Los Angeles Angels.

“The greatest season in history has officially come to an end, as Idoru superstar Shohei Ohtani was placed on the 10-day disabled list with an oblique muscle injury,” MLB.com and other local media outlets reported on Sunday.

Ohtani began his full-fledged Idoru career in 2021, appearing in 155 games as a hitter, batting .257 with 138 hits, 46 home runs, 100 RBIs, 103 runs scored, 26 doubles, and a .965 OPS, and as a pitcher, going 9-2 with a 3.18 ERA in 23 appearances. He became the first player since the legendary Babe Ruth to achieve such remarkable results at both the plate and in the field.

His “Idoryu” performance earned him the unanimous American League MVP title that year and thrust him into the spotlight. And last year, he proved it wasn’t just a flash in the pan with 160 hits, 34 home runs, 95 RBIs, 90 runs scored, 11 doubles, a .2743 OPS and a .875 slugging percentage in 157 games as a hitter and a 15-9 record with a 2.33 ERA in 28 games as a pitcher. And the momentum has carried over into this season.

In 135 games at the plate this year, Ohtani hit .304 with 44 home runs, 95 RBIs, 102 runs scored, and a 1.066 batting average, and on the mound, he went 10-5 with a 3.14 ERA in 23 games, putting him on pace to win his second MVP award in as many years, as well as the American League batting title this year. Ohtani’s value, especially as he approaches free agency, has skyrocketed. Then came a serious injury.

His injury woes began with a torn elbow ligament.

Ohtani took the mound for the first game of a doubleheader against the Cincinnati Reds on March 24, but lasted just 1⅓ innings. While pitching, Ohtani felt something wrong with his body, signaled to the bench, and voluntarily left the mound. The Angels initially cited “arm fatigue” as the reason for the change. However, the results of the examination were as bad as they feared.

Angels general manager Perry Minassian held a press conference after the second game of the doubleheader and announced that Ohtani had a torn ligament in his right elbow. He added that he would not be taking the mound anymore this year. At this point, Ohtani is undecided on how to treat the torn elbow ligament, but he is facing the possibility of undergoing Tommy John surgery.

Ohtani received a lot of “applause” after learning of the torn elbow ligament, as he continued to bat in the second game of the doubleheader, and continued to get on base and make plays on his way to becoming the American League’s home run leader and MVP. But less than a month after suffering a major injury, he is now facing an injury that could end his season, even as a hitter.

A sudden absence, followed by a season-ending side injury.

Ohtani, who was playing through a torn elbow ligament, was sidelined after a game against the Oakland Athletics on April 4. Ohtani was not named in the starting lineup the next day. The reason was that he felt pain in his side during training. At the time, the Angels, including manager Phil Nevin, gave the nuanced impression that Ohtani’s injury was not serious and that he would be back in the lineup soon, but the reality was different.

Ohtani’s injury appeared to be more serious than expected. Ohtani didn’t show up for the team photo before the game on June 6. The Angels had a member of the club’s staff wear his jersey as a substitute, but Nevin kept reiterating that he was getting better and would be back soon. After a long absence, Ohtani finally broke into the starting lineup.

Ohtani seemed to shake off the injury when he was included in the starting lineup against the Seattle Mariners on April 12, but two and a half hours before kickoff, the Angels changed their lineup and Ohtani’s name was removed. The side pain had flared up again in preparation for the game. Once again, the manager indicated that he had no intention of placing Ohtani on the disabled list and would wait for him to return to the field.

3 Ohtani’s cleaned-up locker room, and his teammates had no idea.

The news came as a bit of a shock as Otani continued to miss time due to injury. The day before, multiple media outlets in the U.S. reported that “Ohtani’s locker room was cleaned up after the game between the Angels and Detroit Tigers”. Local reporters and even teammates were baffled. “Where’s Ohtani?” asked Brett Phillips.

The Angels were coy when asked by local reporters about Ohtani, saying they would provide more details tomorrow (Nov. 17). Speculation began to run wild, eventually leading to the season-ending injury. MLB.com broke the news of Ohtani’s season-ending injury on Sunday, along with the news that he was placed on the disabled list.

“The decision makes sense given his right elbow ligament injury,” MLB.com wrote, “Ohtani is expected to need surgery for his UCL tear, but there’s a chance he could avoid a second Tommy John surgery because there are differences from 2018. This will become clear soon.”

With that, it’s very likely that Ohtani’s time with the Angels is over. Ohtani is now a free agent. It wasn’t long ago that the Angels and Ohtani weren’t talking about an extension. Ohtani has repeatedly expressed his frustration with the Angels’ inability to make the postseason, so it’s likely that their time together will end here.메이저사이트

Still, Ohtani is expected to return to Angels Stadium for the final home game to greet fans and teammates. ”The latest on Ohtani,” said Jeff Fletcher of USA, “President Perry Minassian and head coach Phil Nevin explained that Ohtani will be back in uniform for the home final.”

Still, there’s a strong possibility that this will be their last time together. “Ohtani’s future with the Angels is uncertain as he heads into offseason free agency,” MLB.com added. Ohtani will now spend time rehabbing his side and elbow injuries. It will be interesting to see which organization Ohtani signs with at the end of the season.