Neal ElAttrache, MD, performed elbow surgery on Shohei Ohtani, a player for the Los Angeles Angels, on Sept. 19 at the Kerlan & Jobe Orthopedic Clinic in Los Angeles.
Mr. Ohtani tore his ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow during an Aug. 23 game, according to a Sept. 19 news release from mlb.com.
Mr. Ohtani, who both pitches and hits, is expected to be able to exclusively hit during the 2024 MLB season and return to both pitching and hitting in 2025.
The procedure reinforced the healthy ligament while adding viable tissue to extend the longevity of the elbow, Dr. ElAttrache said in the release.
At the end of the 2018 season, Mr. Ohtani had Tommy John surgery on the same elbow, which caused him to miss the entirety of the 2019 season.
Dr. ElAttrache is the head team physician for the Los Angeles Dodgers, another MLB team, and the Los Angeles Rams, the city's NFL franchise. He also serves as an orthopedic consultant to two NHL teams — the Los Angeles Kings and Anaheim Ducks — as well as the NBA's Los Angeles Lakers.