Shohei Ohtani Cleared to Hit with Elbow Injury, Will Be Evaluated for Pitching

Los Angeles Angels star Shohei Ohtani is ready to make a limited return to the field as he recovers from an elbow injury.

Angels general manager Billy Eppler told reporters Thursday that doctors have cleared Ohtani to start hitting. However, Ohtani will require further evaluation in three weeks to determine whether he can pitch over the remainder of the 2018 season.

Ohtani's last appearance came in the Angels' 4-3 win over the Kansas City Royals on June 6. He pitched four innings before leaving the game.

On June 8, the Angels placed the 23-year-old on the disabled list with a Grade 2 sprain of his right ulnar collateral ligament. He and the team opted against Tommy John surgery in the hope he could make a quick return with a different course of action.

While Ohtani can't presently be a two-way star, he has clear value to the Angels as a hitter. In 34 games, he's batting .289 with six home runs, 20 RBI and a .535 slugging percentage. His 0.9 WAR is fifth-best among Angels position players, despite the fact he has made just 129 plate appearances, per FanGraphs.

At 41-40, Los Angeles sits 12.5 games back of the American League West-leading Houston Astros and nine games back in the AL wild-card race.

A returning Ohtani should help the Angels make up some of that difference in the weeks ahead.