The Los Angeles Dodgers announced on Tuesday that Shohei Ohtani underwent successful surgery to repair a torn labrum in his left shoulder that he suffered during the World Series.
The surgery was performed by Dr. Neal ElAttrache in Los Angeles. The expectation is that Ohtani will make a full recovery and be ready for spring training, as reported by ESPN.
Ohtani suffered this injury while sliding into second base during Game 2 of the World Series, which the Dodgers eventually won in five games, as previously reported by The Dallas Express.
Dodgers Manager Dave Roberts said following the injury on October 29 that it was “not impeding” his ability to play, noting that Ohtani could make a difference by just being available.
“He doesn’t feel it. I just think it’s the chase. You see it. There’s some big at-bats that could result in a walk, and not taking the base and chasing hasn’t been good,” he added, per MLB.com.
Ohtani played in the final three games of the World Series, batting just one for 11 but contributing one walk during his plate appearances.
Although the injury did not impact Ohtani’s ability to stay on the field during the World Series, undergoing surgery was necessary for his long-term recovery from this injury.
Ohtani was also scheduled to begin pitching again this offseason after elbow surgery last year that sidelined him from pitching during the 2024 season. However, it remains unclear whether his most recent surgery will impact this timeline despite it being his opposite shoulder, per ESPN.
This surgery caps off a historic season for Ohtani after he signed with the Dodgers on a 10-year contract worth $700 million, though roughly $680 million was deferred to the future to grant the organization financial flexibility.
Ohtani then put together one of the most dominant seasons in MLB history, becoming the first player to collect 50 or more home runs and 50 or more stolen bases in a single season, as previously reported by The Dallas Express.
