The Los Angeles Angels stated on Thursday that injured two-way phenom Shohei Ohtani would be traveling with the team to New York for a weekend series against the Mets and will continue to serve as the team’s designated hitter.

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

Angels’ ace home run hitter Mike Trout is seeking a second opinion on his torn UCL. Meanwhile, he’ll keep swinging for Los Angeles.The first game of the doubleheader was begun by the right-hander, but he only threw 26 pitches before being removed. Ohtani left the mound while trailing 2-2 in the second inning against Christian Encarnacion-Strand of the Reds, seemingly in distress.

Ohtani was taken out of the game by Angels manager Phil Nevin and the medical staff.

When the season concludes, Ohtani, 29, will become a free agent and was generally predicted to sign the largest contract in baseball history. How serious his ιnjury is and what kind of rehabilitation he undergoes

The 2021 American League Most Valuable Player was having arguably the best season of his career.He has the highest OPS (1.069), slugging percentage (.664), home runs (44), and triples (7) in the majors. His 22 doubles, 78 walks, and 91 RBIs are also impressive.

He has a 10-5 record as a starter with a 3.14 ERA while limiting opponents to a.183 batting average. Ohtani had Tommy John surgery during the 2018 season and appeared in 106 games in 2019 (but only at the designated hitter position, not as a pitcher or fielder).

On Thursday, they were 61-67 and 10 1/2 games short of a wild-card place in the American League.