Japanese superstar Shohei Ohtani, the right-handed hurler and left-handed slugger considered the crown jewel of the offseason, has ligament damage in his throwing arm, according to a physical obtained by Yahoo Sports and a report from Sports Illustrated.
Ohtani signed with the Los Angeles Angels last Saturday for $2.3 million, with the club paying a $20 million posting fee to Ohtani's home club, the Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters. Ohtani chose the Angels over other top contenders, including the Rangers, Seattle Mariners, Los Angeles Dodgers and the New York Yankees.
The physical obtained by Yahoo says that Ohtani has a first-degree sprain of his right ulnar collateral ligament (UCL), the same ligament that requires reconstructive Tommy John surgery in the case of severe damage.