Shohei Ohtani to Throw Off Mound for First Time Since Tommy John Surgery

Shohei Ohtani won the 2018 AL Rookie of the Year award because of his rare ability to both pitch and hit at a compelling level. After undergoing Tommy John surgery due to a UCL injury, Ohtani has returned to the diamond in 2019 strictly as a hitter for the Angels, but on Wednesday, Ohtani will pitch off of a mound for the first time since his surgery-- truly a huge step on his road back to full productivity,

Although his return to a big league mound is still a ways away, the process of pitching recovery starts now for the Japanese-born righty. In the meantime, Ohtani has still played a pivotal role for the Angels this season, slashing .277 with 9 home runs and 31 RBIs in 155 at-bats.

His offensive production has not skipped a beat, but it is no secret that the Halos miss him on the mound, as their starting rotation rarely gives the team a convincing chance to win on a nightly basis.

Ohtani would arguably be the top pitcher in this rotation if he was healthy, and when he does make his return to the mound in 2020, you can bet the Angels will be giddy with anticipation as for what this young man can bring once again as a two-way threat.