• Loading stock data...
Friday, September 5, 2025
Fox Analyst and Media Entrepreneur Greg Olsen to Speak at Tuned In Get your ticket now!

Ohtani Injury Casts Doubt On Record Contract, Angels’ Future Plans

  • Two-way phenom potentially facing second Tommy John surgery, will no longer pitch this season.
  • Injury could remove hundreds of millions from what had been expected to be record-setting pact.
Orlando Ramirez-USA TODAY Sports

What was expected to be the largest contract in U.S. pro team sports history has taken a troubling and uncertain turn.

Los Angeles Angels two-way phenom Shohei Ohtani, who will hit free agency this offseason, tore the ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow on Wednesday — and will not pitch again this season. 

Arguably the most anticipated free agent in baseball history, Ohtani now potentially faces a second Tommy John surgery, a move that could remove hundreds of millions of dollars from a contract previously projected to reach as high as $600 million.

“A tough day for him. Tough day for all of us,” said Angels GM Perry Minasian.

Late last month, the Angels opted to “roll the dice” at the trade deadline and keep Ohtani — a near-lock to earn his second MVP award — in the hopes of earning their first playoff berth since 2014. But that decision has yielded disastrous results, including a 5-16 post-deadline record that has left the team well out of contention and injuries to superstars Ohtani and Mike Trout.

Franchise Uncertainty

The Ohtani news also extends a long run of turbulence for the Angels, who under Arte Moreno have been continually beset with ownership and stadium issues. 

Despite playing in the country’s second-largest media market with two generational talents and attendance totals and payrolls regularly ranking in MLB’s top 10, the Angels are tied with Detroit for the league’s longest playoff drought, have employed four different GMs and four field managers since 2011, and have been increasingly known for organizational instability.

“It’s been a decade of disaster,” a team staffer told ESPN.

Linkedin
Whatsapp
Copy Link
Link Copied
Link Copied

What to Read

MLB Attendance Is Holding Steady, but Gap Widens Between Teams

Recent attendance data varies widely from market to market.
Dec 21, 2024; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes (15) gets ready to take the field prior to a game against the Houston Texans at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium.

How Brazil Game Fits Into NFL’s Plans for World Domination

Friday night’s Chiefs-Chargers game in São Paulo is big by design.
Oct 13, 2024; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts (1) and wide receiver A.J. Brown (11) celebrate their touchdown pass during the second quarter against the Cleveland Browns at Lincoln Financial Field.

TV Ratings Just Changed Again. The NFL Will Be the Big Winner

Nielsen’s new viewership system will have a big impact on sports.

MLB Extends Leaves of Clase, Ortiz as Betting Probe Continues

Their paid non-disciplinary leaves have been extended “until further notice.”

Featured Today

Ohio State Buckeyes wide receiver Jeremiah Smith (4) celebrates with offensive lineman Donovan Jackson (74) after a touchdown catch against Notre Dame Fighting Irish in the first quarter during the College Football Playoff National Championship at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta on January 20, 2025.

The Most Expensive Roster Year in College Football History

The House settlement created revenue-sharing—and a big NIL loophole.
August 26, 2025

‘You’re Going to Get Beat Up’: The Liberty’s All-Male Practice Squad

A select group suits up weekly to take on the defending champs.
August 24, 2025

The Honey Deuce Effect: How Tennis Perfected the Signature Cocktail

Sold every 1.5 seconds, they total more than $12 million in sales.
Dec 21, 2024; Austin, Texas, USA; Texas Longhorns quarterback Arch Manning (16) warms up as the Texas Longhorns prepare to play the Clemson Tigers in the first round of the College Football Playoffs at Darrell K Royal Texas Memorial Stadium.
August 23, 2025

Schools Are Hesitant to Allow PE Into Their Athletic Departments

Regardless of budget, schools don’t believe the risk is worth the reward.
exclusive
September 3, 2025

Angel Reese Faces Uncertain Future In Chicago After Publicly Torching Teammates 

Some sources say Reese’s future in Chicago may not be reparable.
James Harden
September 4, 2025

James Harden’s Houston Restaurant Shut for Falling $2 Million Behind in Rent

A sign on the door says the locks have been changed.
Sponsored

Trailblazer Cal Calamia Is Racing for ‘Advocacy, Storytelling, and Performance’

The marathoner wants excellence—not just inclusion—to be the goal for non-binary athletes.
September 3, 2025

No American Men in US Open Semifinals After 2024 Breakthrough

Two American men played in the semifinals last year.
September 1, 2025

Gareth Bale: MLS Quality Hurt By Low Salaries

Bale said MLS salaries aren’t competitive enough to lure stars from Europe.
Aug 6, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Son Heung-min poses during an LAFC introductory press conference at BMO Stadium
August 31, 2025

Son Heung-Min Effect Will Hit Big for MLS and L.A.

With a record signing, the South Korean supernova has landed at LAFC.
Candace Parker
August 29, 2025

Candace Parker Not a WNBA Owner Yet, but Her Business Is Booming

Her WNBA peers say she made the blueprint for earning off the court.