Ohtani Has Elbow Surgery. His Doctor Expects Hitting Return by Opening Day '24 and Pitching by '25

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) Los Angeles Angels star Shohei Ohtani had elbow surgery Tuesday, and his doctor said he expects the two-way star will be available as a hitter on opening day next season and will return to the mound as a pitcher in 2025.

Ohtani tore the ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow on Aug. 23, ending his pitching season. He continued as a batter through Sept. 3 until an oblique strain.

Los Angeles Dodgers head team physician Dr. Neal ElAttrache operated Tuesday at the Cedars-Sinai Kerlan-Jobe Institute in Los Angeles. ElAttrache performed Tommy John surgery on Ohtani on Oct. 1, 2018. Neither Ohtani or the team provided specifics on this surgery.

I had a procedure done on my elbow earlier this morning and everything went very well," Ohtani said in a post on Instagram. Thank you very much for everyones prayers and kind words. It was very unfortunate that I couldnt finish out the year on the field, but I will be rooting on the boys until the end. I will work as hard as I can and do my best to come back on the diamond stronger than ever.