Angels' Shohei Ohtani in lineup Friday vs. Mets after UCL tear

Updated Aug 25, 2023 10:33 pm ET

Los Angeles Angels' two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani was dealt a crushing blow Thursday when it was revealed that he suffered a torn UCL in his throwing arm. Still, Ohtani will continue to swing the bat, as he's hitting second and serving as the Angels' designated hitter for their Friday night road matchup against the New York Mets.

Ohtani, who won the 2021 American League MVP, has totaled an MLB-high 44 home runs and 91 RBIs while boasting a .304/.405/.664 slash line this season. 

He posted a 3.14 ERA, 1.06 WHIP and 167 strikeouts across 132 innings (23 starts) on the mound.

Ohtani, 29, will become a free agent after this season and is expected to depart Anaheim. 

The Angels made a handful of moves to boost their roster before the MLB trade deadline, acquiring starter Lucas Giolito, relievers Reynaldo Lopez and Dominic Leone, infielder C.J. Cron and outfielder Randal Grichuk. Those moves have failed to move the needle, though, as the Angels entered Friday 61-67 and 10.5 games behind the Houston Astros for the No. 3 AL wild-card seed.