MLB fans blast Angels for letting Shohei Ohtani play despite being aware of his UCL tear: "This is ludicrous"

The Los Angeles Angels have experienced another massive setback. Following Mike Trout's injury, Shohei Ohtani has been diagnosed with a torn UCL (ulnar collateral ligament).

Ohtani was called back early in the first game against the Cincinnati Reds for possible arm fatigue, but played insisted on playing in the second match.

As per reports, Manager Perry Minasian said that the Angels and Ohtani were aware of the issue before the second game, but followed his wishes and allowed him to play.

Fans were furious at the Angels for not taking care of the player's health. They took to Twitter to vent their rage:

Angels' general manager Perry Minasian faced media questions about the circumstances surrounding Ohtani’s injury.

When asked whether the team was aware of Ohtani's injury and might have been trying to manage an existing ailment through the season, he replied:

“No, we did not. He never complained about anything. He had cramps. He was dehydrated. Today is the day he came out of the game and said, ‘Hey, I’ve got some pain in the elbow area.'"

Shohei Ohtani will not pitch again in 2023 due to a UCL tear

Shohei Ohtani

Shohei Ohtani will not pitch again in the 2023 season after being diagnosed with a torn UCL.

The Japanese star hit his MLB-leading 44th home run in the first inning of the opener. Ohtani then left with arm fatigue and was removed for a pinch hitter.

The outlook for his return is yet to be outlined, but Ohtani will not pitch again this season. This is a disaster for the LA Angels, who elected to hold onto him at the trade deadline and go for broke in this campaign.

Shohei Ohtani is set to hit free agency and land a potentially record-breaking contract, however, this injury could change everything in that regard. It will be interesting to see what the ramifications of this injury are for both him and the Angels.