when he Los Angeles Dodgers handed a mega deal to two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani last offseason, staying in the City of Angels but with a color change and from the American League to the National, they knew the two-way part of Ohtani’s appeal would have to wait. at least a year while recovering from major elbow surgery that would keep him off the mound. Of course, it still seemed like it was worth it even without Ohtani’s release.

The Dodgers won the World Series, their first since the COVID-shortened 2020 season, and Ohtani put together an unprecedented dominant season at the plate. The probable American League MVP had a 1.036 OPS on the season, while hitting 54 home runs with 130 RBIs and stealing an absurd 59 bases.

So yeah, the fact that he can add being one of the most dominant pitchers in the league to that arsenal makes it worth it. However, the latest update from this week’s MLB general manager meetings gives at least one reason for Dodger fans to sweat.

According to FanSided MLB insider Robert Murray, Ohtani underwent surgery to repair a torn labrum and will spend his second offseason with the Dodgers recovering from that surgery. Although Los Angeles expects him to return for spring training, that’s probably not the update fans were hoping for.

Fans surely remember the moment Ohtani suffered the injury when he left Game 2 of the World Series in pain, dislocating his shoulder while sliding into second base. He returned and played the next three games, but now he is busy repairing the damage he suffered at that time.

Once again, this is not a doom and gloom situation for Ohtani and the Dodgers. The amount of recovery surgeries we see players undergo to get back to full health after a 162-game season plus the playoffs makes the rigors these bodies endure quite extensive and worth the medical attention. that they need.

That said, considering Ohtani is signed for over a decade with the Dodgers, watching him spend the first two offseasons with the club recovering from surgery is not what any fan would ideally want in such a situation. You want him healthy, enjoying time with his family and dog, and then getting back to being baseball’s most unique and dominant star.

It certainly can still be that way after this surgery. However, it’s definitely enough to take one look at the Dodgers star and pray that this isn’t the start of a trend, especially after his addition helped pave the way to a World Series in year one.