Shohei Ohtani of the Los Angeles Dodgers, who showed off his fighting spirit due to injury in the World Series, underwent shoulder surgery. He will be able to join the spring training next year, but he is nervous. This is because there is an example of Cody Bellinger of the Chicago Cubs, who crashed out after winning the World Series with the Dodgers four years ago.
The Dodgers said on the 6th (Korea Standard Time) that Ohtani underwent arthroscopic surgery for a ruptured left shoulder joint. Dr. Neil Elatrice performed the surgery in Los Angeles. Dr. Elatrice also performed surgery on Ohtani’s right elbow ligament in September last year. The Dodgers were optimistic that Ohtani would be able to join in time for spring training in February next year.
Ohtani injured his left shoulder while trying to steal second base in the seventh inning in the second game of the World Series against the New York Yankees at Dodger Stadium on June 27. He entered the second base by sliding a vent leg, but suffered a shock to his shoulder while using his left hand to hit the ground. Ohtani, who couldn’t stand up after being out at the second base, complained of pain by holding his left arm and shoulder, before being replaced.
Although his remaining World Series appearance was unclear due to his left shoulder dislocation, Ohtani took a day off from Lee Dong-il and played normally from Game 3 to Game 5 in New York. He was sluggish with one hit in 11 at-bats in the third game of Game 3 to Game 5 due to his shoulder injury, but he got his hands on the World Series championship ring as the Dodgers beat the Yankees 4-1 in the third game.
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said after winning the championship, “Otani played with one arm. Most players would have given up, but he played 스포츠토토. He never refused to join the lineup. When Otani comes out, he has a presence. As he played with one arm, he has gained more respect from his teammates as well.” The victory gave him a happy ending, but Otani was forced to undergo surgery in return for his injury, and there are concerns.
The Athletic said Roberts had no structural damage to Ohtani’s shoulder at the time of his initial injury. Ohtani said he wanted to avoid the surgery, but he said he would consult a doctor and underwent arthroscopic surgery to resolve his shoulder issue. “It is unclear what this surgery will mean for the future of a pitching star.” Ohtani had undergone ligament bonding surgery in his elbow throughout October and was trying to build up his body to return to the pitching position, but he failed to advance to the point where he threw a batter before standing up. “This surgery is the opposite arm, but it is not certain whether it will affect Ohtani’s return to the pitching position.”
The Athletic then came up with Bellinger, a big guns outfielder, as a similar example in the past. In 2020, Bellinger hit a finishing home run in the seventh inning when his team tied the game 3-3 at Game 7 of the National League Championship Series against the Atlanta Braves. Excited by the shot at a dramatic situation, Bellinger performed a ceremony in which he banged arms with his teammate Kieke Hernandez as they entered the home ground. However, after hitting the ball too hard, Bellinger dislocated his right shoulder.
In that condition, Bellinger played all the way to the World Series and got the championship ring, but underwent surgery after the season. It was arthroscopic surgery like Ohtani’s. After rehabilitation during the offseason, he played from the opening game in April 2021, but failed to find form when he was in good spirits. After slumping through 2022, Bellinger was released as a non-tender FA and effectively was released by the Dodgers. He grew rapidly to become the Rookie of the Year in 2017 and the MVP in 2019, and had a brilliant career, but suffered a sharp decline after injuring his shoulder.
Ohtani is also worried because his shoulder injury and surgery are similar to Bellinger’s. The Athletic said that Bellinger played in the World Series with a dislocated shoulder and underwent surgery on Nov. 18 that year. He was included in the lineup for the opening game the following year, but had difficulties until next season and the following season while trying to find strength in his shoulder.
The Athletic said, however, that unlike Otani, Bellinger injured the shoulder on the side that puts more force on the swing. While Ohtani injured his left shoulder, Bellinger injured his right shoulder. Left-handed hitters put more force on their right shoulder when swinging. When hitting, the forward force is directed to the right shoulder. Ohtani avoided the worst situation like Bellinger because he has his left shoulder.
Meanwhile, Bellinger, who left the Dodgers, moved to the Cubs in 2023 and rebounded with a batting average of 37 percent (or 153 hits in 499 times at bat) in 130 games with 26 home runs and 97 RBIs. Bellinger, who re-signed with the Cubs for three years and 90 million dollars after becoming a free agent, re-entered the conditions of opt-out every year, has declined again this year with a batting average of 266 percent (or 137 hits in 516 times at bat) in 130 games with an OPS of 78 RBIs. Bellinger, who did not exercise opt-out, will receive an annual salary of 27.5 million dollars next year and will return to the Cubs again.
