The Los Angeles Angels will be without Shohei Ohtani for the remainder of the season, after the two-way star felt it was best to shut down baseball activities due to his injured elbow and ongoing oblique issue.
Ohtani has otherwise been as good as advertised this season, compiling enough statistics to garner another bid for a Most Valuable Player award. Carrying a 10-5 record with a 3.14 ERA, 4.00 FIP, 1.06 WHIP across 132 innings pitched.
His 23 starts as the ace of the Angels staff put them in enough positions to be successful while on the mound, and while in the lineup, his bat is on par as well. The club will be without Ohtani and his .304/.412/.654 slash with 44 homers, but that didn’t stop him from wishing his club luck the remainder of the season via social media.
The influence Ohtani has had on the Angels franchise is unlike any player in Major League Baseball, and his presence as a leader is unmatched due to his tenacity when on the field. Rooting on the team during this final stretch might not go a long way with their standings, but it’s a simple check into his character as a whole.
Phil Nevin hoping Shohei Ohtani stays with Angels
Nevin was able to build a strong rapport with the team during that tumultuous season, which earned him a one-year deal for this year. He’s been credited by many players as having a strict, but enjoyable culture in the clubhouse, a positive sign for the interim manager turned full-time skipper.
With Ohtani entering free agency at the conclusion of the regular season slate, Nevin was both honest, yet optimistic about the Angels in keeping him with the only team he’s known.
The direction of the franchise isn’t certain and because Nevin’s contract ends after the year, the exodus of he and Ohtani is a possible outcome.
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