Shohei Ohtani isn’t done this season after all.
Ohtani will pitch on Sunday for the Los Angeles Angels in their game against the Oakland A’s, just one day after the team initially feared he may be done for the year while battling a sore arm.
Ohtani, according to The Associated Press, threw about 30 pitches on Friday and felt much better than he had earlier in the week. He first complained about soreness after playing catch on Wednesday, and manager Joe Maddon hinted then that he may simply sit the AL MVP favorite.
“If there’s any kind of lingering soreness, you may not see him pitch,” Maddon said Thursday.
Clearly, based off the decision the team made on Friday, that lingering soreness is gone.
Ohtani holds a 9-2 record in 21 starts with a 3.36 ERA and 136 strikeouts in 115.1 innings pitched so far this season, his fourth with the Angels. He’s given up 12 earned runs in his last three starts, however.
The 27-year-old is still serving as the team’s designated hitter and is in a battle to claim the home run title. Ohtani, who has 44 already this season, trails only Toronto Blue Jays star Vladimir Guerrero Jr. in that race by a single home run.