Due to a blister on the middle finger of his pitching hand, Los Angeles Angels two-way star Shohei Ohtani had to leave the game against the San Diego Padres early on Tuesday. He said afterwards that the injury probably won’t let him pitch in the All-Star Game next week.
At Petco Park, the right-handed Ohtani was removed from the game in the sixth inning after giving up consecutive home runs to Xander Bogaerts and Jake Cronenworth on three pitches. This was the first time Ohtani had ever given up consecutive home runs in his career. As the Angels were 5-1 behind the Padres, he left the field with a trainer.
Ohtani’s scheduled start was postponed by a day due to a cracked fingernail on the same finger that the blister is on. When his spot in the lineup came back up in the top of the ninth inning, the Angels called on Jo Adell to pinch hit for him. He did not return to the lineup as a designated hitter. The latest setback for the Angels is Mike Trout’s broken hamate bone, which will likely keep him out for six to eight weeks. After fouling a ball off his shin in the first inning of Tuesday’s game against the Padres, Angels third baseman Anthony Rendon left the game with a contusion. After breaking a hamate bone in his left hand while he was at the plate in Monday’s 10-3 loss to the Padres, Mike Trout also had to leave the game early. On Tuesday, he was placed on the injured list and is anticipated to be out for six to eight weeks.
ESPN Stats & Info says that Ohtani, Rendon, and Trout make up 44% of the Angels’ payroll.
Ohtani stated, “We will see about going forward the next few days.” “When I came out of the game I was kind of in the moment.” I have about nine to ten days until my next start on the pitching side, so hopefully I will heal in time.
Phil Nevin, the Angels’ manager, said that he doesn’t think Ohtani’s ability to hit in the future will be significantly affected by the blister.