The Los Angeles Times reported that it was his second Tommy John.Īt some point Balelo will share that information with clubs, if he hasn’t already. Balelo has declined to publicly specify the type of surgery Ohtani underwent. Neal ElAttrache, said in his initial statement after the procedure that Ohtani will be ready to hit without restriction by Opening Day 2024, and both hit and pitch in 2025. I just don’t know how long to make the bet.

Said an NL executive, “I’ll bet on him returning. I don’t know how long he wants to pitch and how long he can successfully continue to do that.” But at the root of it, I think this guy’s a hitter. “What I need to understand is, what is his desire to pitch? How long does he want to pitch? Nez is going to say one thing. I think he will pitch very, very successfully for a period of time,” an AL executive said. Interviews with seven executives from teams interested in Ohtani, all of whom spoke on condition of anonymity because the collective-bargaining agreement prohibits club officials from commenting on free agents, revealed a variety of opinions on the type of contract he will command, his potential impact on a team’s business and yes, his pitching future. But the uncertainty surrounding Ohtani’s future as a pitcher after his second major elbow surgery in five years makes his free agency perhaps even more complex than it was before. The biggest question in baseball - what is Ohtani worth? - remains unchanged.