Angels confirm Shohei Ohtani underwent elbow surgery, provide critical recovery timeline for hitting and pitching

In a sudden turn of events, the Los Angeles Angels announced that two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani underwent a procedure to address his elbow injury. The procedure, which was performed by high-profile surgeon Neal ElAttrache, was performed with the emphasis on keeping him as an effective hitter and pitcher for the foreseeable future.

"The Angels released this statement on Shohei Ohtani and the procedure he had this morning." - @SamBlum3

According to ElAttrache, the surgery that Shohei Ohtani underwent is expected to have him healthy to hit during the 2024 season and return as both a hitter and pitcher in 2025. The procedure reinforced the healthy ligament which was in place while also "adding viable tissue for longevity."

"In chatting quickly with a few people about the description attributed to ElAttrache in the statement, this was not a traditional Tommy John surgery with a reconstruction. It was a repair. Still won't pitch till 2025, but does speed up the rehab slightly on the hitting side." - @JeffFletcherOCR

It was originally feared that Ohtani would need to undergo Tommy John Surgery, which would have created a longer recovery period for the former American League MVP. Now, the repair, which was done by Dr. ElAttrache, should reduce the amount of time that Ohtani will need to return to his two-way dominance.

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Shohei Ohtani's doctor Neal ElAttrache has been all over the news lately

It's not often that the everyday person can name a surgeon off the top of their heads. However, thanks to his recent publicity, this cannot be said about Dr. Neal ElAttrache. The famed surgeon has found himself in the news recently for performing surgery on injured New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers, who suffered a torn Achilles tendon.

"#Jets QB Aaron Rodgers had surgery to repair his torn Achilles that was done by Dr. Neal S. ElAttrache. ElAttrache also did Kobe Bryant’s Achilles repair" - @LakersRoyalty

Shohei Ohtani joins ElAttrache's star-studded list of clients, which includes Kobe Bryant, Tom Brady, Aaron Rodgers, Cam Akers, and Chris Sale of the Boston Red Sox.