MLB Rumors: Shohei Ohtani latest, Cardinals trade chip, Rangers returns

MLB Rumors: Shohei Ohtani continues to sit out due to oblique injury

The Los Angeles Angels' season started with promise until it spiraled out of control. They bought in at the trade deadline to make a push for the postseason, only to fall well outside of it not too long afterward. To make matters worse, they watched superstar, AL MVP favorite, and impending free agent Shohei Ohtani pick up injuries.

First, Ohtani suffered a torn UCL that will likely require Tommy John surgery. While he would be unable to pitch for the remainder of the season, that didn't rule him out of serving as the team's designated hitter. However, he has been sitting out for a stretch of games after dealing with a sore oblique.

Ohtani was scheduled to return from said oblique injury for Los Angeles' game on Monday against the Seattle Mariners. However, he was scratched just prior to the first pitch after going through pre-game workouts. Manager Phil Nevin said that he didn't see it as a "setback."

On Tuesday night, Ohtani was left out of the lineup once again, making it the ninth straight game that he sat out due to the oblique injury. Nevin said that the likeliest Ohtani could return is for Friday's game against the Detroit Tigers. However, Nevin didn't rule out the possibility of Ohtani playing in Wednesday's series finale against the Mariners if he told him he was ready to go.

“He’s going to come in one day and tell me he’s ready to play,” Nevin said, h/t MLB.com. “Today, I made the lineup without him. But if he comes in and does his stuff and tells me he’s ready to go, then I’ll put him in.”

On the year, Ohtani leads the American League with eight triples, 44 home runs, 91 walks, a .412 on-base percentage, and 325 total bases, while leading the majors with 21 intentional walks, a 1.066 WHIP, and a 183 OPS+ through 135 games (497 at-bats).