Shohei Ohtani's Surgeon Describes Surgery, Return Timeline for Dodgers Two-Way Star
It's well known that the Los Angeles Dodgers' $700 million free agency signing, Shohei Ohtani, will not pitch for the team in 2024. With Ohtani undergoing his second major elbow surgery last year, Ohtani will only play as a designated hitter for the team this season.
On Thursday, we finally got some new information regarding Ohtani's surgery, per the man who did it, Dr. Neal ElAttrache.
ElAttrache described how Ohtani's second surgery incorporates a hybrid process of the Tommy John surgery to improve the repair of his UCL.
ElAttrache described the procedure as "adding braided suture to repair and enhance the existing torn ligament as well as putting in the new graft. So you’re getting all the benefits of an augmented what’s called internal brace, where you’re putting suture in to brace the elbow. I like to put that suture in the native tissue because then I know it’s perfectly anatomic and it’ll tighten at exactly the right time.”
— Dr. ElAttrache, via Jay Cohen of The Associated Press.
What's even more incredible is that Ohtani is on track to throw a simulated game as soon as September. This goes to show how much the procedure has improved over the last half-century, allowing players like Ohtani to return to pitching. Before, torn UCLs could often end a career.
"It just so happens that, if he goes along with the throwing program as we have it scheduled, he'll be throwing his first simulated game the last week of September. Tommy John's operation 50 years ago was September 25th, 1974. So Ohtani will be throwing his first sim game 50 years almost to the date of the first Tommy John, which is pretty wild."
— Dr. ElAttrache, via Jay Cohen of The Associated Press.
Ohtani is expected to be able to pitch consistently in the 2025 season, with that simulated game being a huge step in his recovery. The wait will likely be well worth it for the Dodgers, as when healthy, Ohtani is a great pitcher with a career ERA of 3.01.
