Los Angeles Angels two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani suffered a UCL tear and will not pitch again in the 2023 regular season.

Ohtani is the Angels' ace and ranks in the top 10 in the MLB in pitching stats including wins above replacement (9.6), earned run average (3.14), walks and hits per inning pitched (1.061), and hits allowed per nine innings (5.8).

The 29-year-old ranks first in MLB in total wins above replacement with 9.6, which is 3.1 ahead of the next-best player. He's the runaway favorite to win the American League MVP Award.

Before Ohtani's injury, the Angels decided to hold onto him at the August 1 trade deadline and eyed a surprise playoff berth withhopes of re-signing him when his contract expires at the end of the season.

The Angels' other superstar, Mike Trout, rushed to return from a wrist injury for the playoff push.

Now that the team's ace cannot pitch, Trout has returned to the injured list and it appears the Angels have abandoned their already slim playoff hopes.

The Angels will seek a second opinion on Ohtani's injury before deciding whether he will need Tommy John surgery. Ohtani tore the same ligament in his elbow in 2018, the season he won Rookie of the Year.

Ohtani received stem cell injections to heal that injury, for which he did not pitch for 11 weeks but continued to bat.

He will continue to bat until further notice. Before the injury, he was in line for the biggest contract in league history this summer.

Rusty Gorelick

• Los Angeles Angels
• Shohei Ohtani
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