Shohei Ohtani underwent Tommy John surgery twice—once during the 2018 offseason and again toward the end of the 2023 season due to damage to his right elbow ligament.

The context surrounding each surgery was very different.

After his first surgery, although he had won the Rookie of the Year award, his identity as a true two-way player had not yet been fully established.

In the following two years, many questioned whether he should give up pitching altogether.

The 2019 season saw him unable to pitch at all, and in 2020, due to the shortened season caused by COVID-19, he made only two appearances as a pitcher.

During this uncertain period, the Angels even had him practice playing in the outfield and at first base—possibly exploring alternatives if he could no longer return to the mound.

But Ohtani never wavered.

Even when he couldn’t pitch in games, he continued preparing as if he would.

“I’m still preparing to pitch. That’s part of my plan right now.”

For Ohtani, the plan had not changed.

Not because the circumstances were easy—but because his belief in that plan remained intact.

His quiet, consistent preparation during those years laid the foundation for his historic 2021 season.

He didn’t wait for certainty.

He prepared for the future he had already decided on.

Source

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

Sho-Time: The Man Who Changed 120 Years of MLB History, p.193