Injuries are an unavoidable part of a professional baseball career, and Shohei Ohtani has faced his share throughout high school, his time with the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters, and in Major League Baseball.

During his second year of high school, he suffered a significant injury—epiphyseal plate damage—that prevented him from pitching for an extended period.

However, he was able to continue batting without pain.

That period, in which he devoted more time to hitting, is often credited with helping develop “Shohei Ohtani the hitter.”

While some might call this a “blessing in disguise,” Ohtani himself does not necessarily view injuries as inherently positive.

Instead, he focuses on doing the best he can within the limitations he faces.

In 2018, his rookie MLB season, Ohtani performed at an exceptional level and won the Rookie of the Year award.

But in September, damage to his right elbow ligament was discovered, and Tommy John surgery was recommended.

If he underwent surgery, he would be unable to pitch for at least a full season, and even returning as a hitter would take several months.

Despite this, Ohtani chose to focus on what remained possible.

“Normally, I wouldn’t be able to play at all for a year and a half. So the fact that I can still contribute in some way—I see that as a positive.”

Even in a restricted state, he continued to step into the batter’s box—and shortly after, he delivered performances strong enough to earn Player of the Week honors.

While others praised the advantage of being a two-way player, Ohtani’s strength lay in something deeper:

His ability to maximize what he can do, even when he cannot do everything.

Source

This quote comes from a Japanese book published in Japan and is not currently available in English.

Shohei Ohtani Report, p.49