Angels' Shohei Ohtani: Tommy John decision could come soon

Ohtani (elbow) met with Angels general manager Billy Eppler on Monday to discuss when the two-way player will undergo Tommy John surgery, Mike DiGiovanna of the Los Angeles Times reports.

After an MRI last week revealed new damage to the UCL in Ohtani's (right) throwing arm, doctors advised the rookie to go under the knife to address the issue. While it appears that Ohtani plans to heed that advice -- which would prevent him from pitching during the 2019 season -- he's continued to serve as a regular designated hitter for the Angels since receiving the diagnosis. Though Tommy John surgery would likely prevent Ohtani from hitting without restriction for approximately six months, that timetable still puts his status for Opening Day next season in some peril. The longer Ohtani delays the procedure, the less likely it becomes that he'll be ready to go for the start of next season, so expect the Angels to implore the 24-year-old to shut down activity sooner rather than later.