Angels News: Phil Nevin Understands Frustration With Shohei Ohtani’s Continued Absence
In a frustrating week of scratches due to an oblique issue, an already ailing Shohei Ohtani's absence from the lineup has frustrated fans, players and other personnel within the Angels' organization.
Refusing to entertain talks that his superstar slugger would entertain being shut down for the season, Halos skipper Phil Nevin mentioned his own frustration without his best player in the lineup over the past few games.
“I know fans come to see him, especially when we’re at home,” Nevin said. “I get that frustration. Absolutely. When this started, nobody thought it was a big issue. He was even telling me ‘I think I can go in a day or two.’ And that’s what I told you guys. Well, it stretched out a little longer than we thought. But I still think it’s really close. And we’ll wait for him to say when he can play.”
After losing his pitching prowess for the rest of the season to a major elbow injury already, Ohtani's recent nick and bruise to his body has been a sobering reminder that try as he might, he simply can't do it all.
Though he certainly tried to do so this year, Ohtani's season will likely end with a WAR level near 10 for his work at the plate and on the mound in what should be an MVP winning campaign.
Clubbing 44 homers and stealing 20 bases alongside a batting average over .300, the league's best player should not be questioned any longer about who sits atop the mountain in MLB's talent pool.
Doing it all at the plate alongside his 3.14 ERA and K/9 rate of over 11 in his work on the mound, the runaway AL MVP's Angels career gave fans some great memories should this be the end of the line for Ohtani in Anaheim.
