Shohei Ohtani turned down MRI earlier in season – The Denver Post

The best player in baseball got hurt on the Angels’ watch and the club is feeling the heat. One day after revealing that no imaging was done on Shohei Ohtani after he complained of arm fatigue earlier in the season, Los Angeles general manager Perry Minasian clarified the comments.

Ohtani was diagnosed with a torn right ulnar collateral ligament Wednesday and earlier imaging might have shown strain or damage in the elbow. The Angels could have shut him down to treat the injury and possibly prevent a tear, which is the worst-case scenario.

“The imaging was offered earlier in the year and him and his representation turned it down,” Minasian said.

The Angels suggested Ohtani undergo imaging because of a cramp in a finger on his right pitching hand. Ohtani and his agent, Nez Balelo of CAA, did not feel an MRI was necessary for a finger cramp. Minasian said the 29-year-old two-way star had not complained of any elbow soreness until earlier this week.

The finger issues started in July with a cracked nail. He left three starts early because of issues with a finger. Ohtani then complained of arm fatigue and leg cramps later in the month and into August. Minasian declined to specify whether or not he was offered imaging on his arm or just his finger.

“You can’t make players do things,” Minasian said. “There has to be an agreement.”

The Mets learned this lesson in 2017 when right-hander Noah Syndergaard refused an MRI on his shoulder. Then-GM Sandy Alderson infamously said, “I can’t tie him down and throw him in the tube.” Syndergaard left his start the next day with a torn lat.

Minasian is correct in that there has to be a mutual trust and said there is plenty that exists between him and Ohtani. However, the Angels have come under fire for giving Ohtani too much autonomy to call his own shots. Ohtani seems to mostly decide when he will and won’t play with the club believing that fewer restrictions allow him to harness his full potential.

Unfortunately, they also allowed him to get injured. Ohtani is likely headed for his second Tommy John surgery since 2018. He’s also heading toward free agency this winter. The Mets have long been linked to him, though the club has stayed quiet about it.

Ohtani wants to continue to pitch and hit. His teammates have voiced confidence in his ability to do so even if he has to have another UCL reconstruction surgery, with Mike Trout being one of them. But teams will have to make some tough decisions when it comes to pursuing baseball’s unicorn. Other teams might not trust him to make his own decisions and they may want to convert him to a reliever or even an outfielder.

Ohtani has not yet spoken to the media. This is another area where he makes his own rules and those rules might not work in New York. Of course, it’s all speculation until after the World Series when Ohtani officially becomes a free agent.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Edwin Diaz will throw an outdoor bullpen  Sunday at Citi Field. It’s unlikely he will face hitters or, at the very least, have anyone stand in, but it’s still a big milestone in his rehab from patellar tending surgery.

Diaz responded well and the Mets are ready to move him on to an outdoor bullpen. Should Diaz be ready to move forward after Sunday, the next step would be facing hitters.

“We’re excited about where he is,” said manager Buck Showalter. “He hasn’t missed a step along the way. We’re getting closer and closer to the conditions that he will have. Tomorrow being on the mound and going down the hill to a catcher squatted down is a part of the process.”

Mark Vientos is nearly ready to be activated from a wrist injury and is with the team in Queens as they continue a series against the Los Angeles Angels, but he will not be facing the Halos this weekend. Vientos played one game of a rehab assignment with Triple-A Syracuse on Friday night and while the wrist was fine he felt discomfort in his right big toe. The club decided to have him evaluated in Queens. If the toe ends up being fine, he could be activated at some point next week.

Outfielder Starling Marte will go to Philadelphia for physical therapy on his right groin.

WHO RUN THE WORLD?

The Mets honored former owner Joan Whitney Payson in a first-inning tribute Saturday night at Citi Field as part of their second annual Women’s Day celebration. The lineup also chose walk-up songs by women, a panel of female industry leaders gave a talk to an all-woman audience and members of the Little League Softball World Series-winning Massapequa International 12-under team were invited to interact with players during batting practice.

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