MLB sensation Shohei Ohtani to continue as LA Angels’ designated hitter in series with the Mets, despite tearing his UCL

Injured two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani traveled to New York with the Los Angeles Angels for a weekend series with the Mets and will remain their restricted hitter for now, the club confirmed Thursday.

Ohtani was diagnosed with a torn ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) in his right elbow on Wednesday, after which the Angels announced he would not pitch for the remainder of the 2023 season.

The Angels’ most highly regarded player leads the major leagues in home runs and seeks a second opinion on the UCL tear. In the meantime, he’ll keep swinging his bat for LA until then.

The right-hander started the first game of the doubleheader, but left after 26 pitches. With a 2-2 score against the Reds’ Christian Encarnacion-Strand, Ohtani came off the mound and appeared to be in pain.

Angels manager Phil Nevin and the training staff came out and removed Ohtani from the game.

Ohtani was removed from a game on Wednesday before he was diagnosed with a torn UCL

Ohtani currently leads the MLB in home runs and will be a free agent in the offseason

The 29-year old Ohtani will become a free agent after this season and was widely expected to land the largest contract in baseball history. The extent of his injury and the chosen rehabilitation path are

The three-time All-Star and 2021 American League MVP had arguably his best season yet.

He leads the majors in home runs (44), triples (seven), slugging percentage (.664), and OPS (1,069). He also has 22 doubles, 78 walks and 91 RBIs.

On the mound, he is 10-5 with a 3.14 ERA while holding his batters to a .183 average. Ohtani underwent Tommy John surgery after the 2018 season and appeared in 106 games the following season (although he did not pitch or field and served only as a designated hitter).

The Angels entered 10 1/2 games Thursday from a wild card spot in the American League at 61-67.