Japanese sensation Shohei Ohtani will have season-ending surgery on his left knee, the Los Angeles Angels have announced.
In a statement released by the team they announced he will undergo surgery on Friday to address a barite patella in his left knee.
The expected timetable for a surgery like this is 8-12 weeks for full recovery, ending Ohtani’s season, but not jeopardizing his 2020 campaign.
Ohtani came to Major League Baseball in 2018, joining the Angels as a two-way player (pitcher and designated hitter.)
However after the 2018 season Ohtani underwent Tommy John surgery to repair the ulnar collateral ligament in his pitching elbow.
The 25-year-old returned to the Angles lineup in May 2019 and has spent the season as a designated hitter.
In his second season in North America, Ohtani had a .286 batting average, 18 home runs, and 62 runs batted in.
All signs points towards Ohtani returning to being a two-way player in 2020.