The Angels are looking to get designated hitter Shohei Ohtani back during their upcoming nine-game road trip that runs through Detroit, Baltimore and Minnesota, general manager Billy Eppler, told angels.com on Sunday. 

Ohtani, 24, is recovering from Tommy John surgery, which means he won't be pitching or playing the field this season. He will exclusively serve as the Angels' DH and expect him to be in the lineup at least against every right-handed pitcher, as he swings lefty. He will wear a brace to protect his surgically-repaired elbow when he's running the bases. 

Ohtani, who said last week he was getting impatient waiting for his return, won AL Rookie of the Year honors last season when he hit .285/.361/.564 (150 OPS+) with 21 doubles, two triples, 22 homers, 61 RBI, 59 runs and 10 steals in just 367 plate appearances. 

The presence of Ohtani in the everyday lineup will be a significant boost for the Angels' offense. Note the .564 slugging percentage. The Angels entered Sunday slugging .407 as a team, good for 11th in the American League. 

Further, it'll probably be a good idea for them to bat Ohtani behind Mike Trout. He's a lefty that can follow the right-swinging Trout and hopefully get him a few better pitches. Trout leads the majors both in walks and intentional walks.