Amid criticism over the Angels’ handling of Shohei Ohtani’s health, general manager Perry Minasian told reporters in New York on Saturday the team offered to conduct imaging on his pitching arm earlier this month, but the two-way star declined.
Ohtani went through imaging exams Wednesday after reporting discomfort in his throwing arm and it revealed a UCL tear.
Minasian suggested the Angels were proactive while trying to protect Ohtani’s health, offering to do imaging exams after Ohtani reported he was experiencing a finger cramp on Aug. 3. Ohtani and his agency, CAA, were not worried the cramp was a symptom of a deeper problem and declined, Minasian explained.
“The only time we got imaging was after he felt the injury,” Minasian told reporters. “With that being said, the imaging was offered earlier in the year and him and his representation turned it down.
“And I understand why. It was a cramp in his finger and they didn’t believe it warranted imaging. … I know what’s been talked about and what’s been written over the past couple of days, but wanted to get that out there.”
Minasian explained Saturday that the tear in Ohtani’s elbow is in a different place than the last time he tore his UCL in June 2018 — an injury that led to Tommy John surgery.
“The tear being in a different place, it’s different symptoms,” Minasian said. “So it didn’t feel like it did … when it happened in ‘18.”
Ohtani experienced cramping in his right middle finger against the Seattle Mariners at Angel Stadium and was removed as pitcher after four innings. He remained the designated hitter, mashing his 40th home run later in the game.
Minasian repeated that the tear in Ohtani’s UCL likely happened in Wednesday’s game and he did not think it dated to his finger cramp.
“I don’t believe so,” Minasian said. “From talking to the doctors and what we have, the information we have, that it happened that last game. With that being said, I don’t know.”
