EXCLUSIVE: Shohei Ohtani’s Tommy John Surgery Raises Doubt Over $700M Investment in ‘Most Protected Pitcher’ – MLB Analyst Explains

The baseball world went bonkers as Shohei Ohtani, the unicorn of two-way prowess, underwent his latest surgery. Not only did it cast a shadow on his potential performance but also questioned the lofty expectations set by the recent $700 million contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers. Will the injury and giant pressures push this once-in-a-generation talent to his limit?

With the Oshu-born not in a condition to pitch until 2025, perhaps hints at something. The dream of witnessing the two-way superstar, till the completion of his tenure might have suffered a big crack. Has the gamble on him gone wrong? 

How Lucky Will The Dodgers Get With Shohei Ohtani?

Steve Phillips, an MLB analyst and former GM of the New York Mets, in an exclusive interview with Essentially Sports, dissected the anatomy of Ohtani’s latest setback and the ‘most protected player’ status. Phillips began addressing this subject by saying, “Well, I gotta tell you, I would not have signed Shohei Ohtani”. Quite a shocker isn’t it? But he considered the substantial risk surrounding the pitcher-hitter. He further added that the Los Angeles Angels coddled the two-way phenom. Yet one can’t help but speculatively foresee injuries in a few years. With that, Phillips shared the rationale behind his words. 

He claimed that ‘Shotime’ was the most protected pitcher in baseball. So much so that he threw only every six or seven days. Despite that, however, “his body was rejecting being a two-way player” with multiple cramps. Phillips’s argument was stark : The 29-year-old, in spite of the kid gloves way of handing, might not be far from becoming injury-prone. Adding further to this uncomfortable possibility, the MLB insider shared more on this exclusive interview. 

The 2018 Tommy John surgery, which ensued by this latest injury, poses doubts about his durability in the long term. Considering that, wasn’t $700 million too big of a gamble? Perhaps the largest one in baseball history?  It was when Phillips said, “I am very concerned about years 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10 and whether his arm is gonna hold up,” that one thinks : Is the Dodgers’ big decision already on life support? 

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Tracing Back Steps to Find the Root Cause of the Uncertainty Surrounding Ohtani

His discussion with Essentially Sports also threw light on the aspect of identifying the root cause of this doubt. While Shohei Ohtani is closely comparable to Babe Ruth, the baseball legend, his is far from that status. Phillips frequently mentioned that it is definitely fun watching him play, but the longevity of pushing the limits of ones body, no matter how “tip-top”, would give away. The root cause landed on the Angels’ doorstep, quite unsurprisingly. 

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This is not the first time the Halos have been held responsible for a sub-par performance particularly when Shohei was in his prime. Perhaps they overused Ohtani while being equally protective. Or perhaps they neglected it? That’s an open-ended question the answer to which only ‘time’ holds.