Angels Pitcher suffered significant elbow injury while facing Dodgers’ Shohei Ohtani

One throw to a former teammate was all Patrick Sandoval needed to end his 2024 season.

The Angels from Los Angeles starter tore the UCL in his throwing elbow and had to undergo season-ending surgery after being injured on a pitch by former teammate Shohei Ohtani.

In an interview on The Locker Room with AJ Ramos, Patrick Sandoval revealed that he injured his elbow while facing Shohei Ohtani, but continued to throw despite the discomfort.

“I tore a slider, one of the nastiest I’ve thrown all year,” Sanodval said. “I thought, ‘Oh no.’ I felt something in my elbow – 3-2 (count), we called fastball… Threw it as hard as I could and it went 88 or 89. Worst pain I’ve ever felt in my life.

The 27-year-old served as the Angels’ Opening Day starter and finished the season with a 2–8 record and a 5.08 ERA over 16 appearances.

“It sucks, there’s no other way to say it,” Sandoval said at the time of his injury in June. “I love being on the field, I love playing. It’s just a shame.”

Sandoval underwent Tommy John surgery for the first time of his career. Sandoval’s injury leaves his future in doubt with the Angels uncertain because he won’t be able to pitch in 2025. He is under team control until the end of the 2026 season, but the team could choose not to tender him, making him a free agent after this season.

‘You never expect an injury’ Sandoval said. “But I am somewhat aware of how common it is in the game. Especially at this level and how hard guys throw.”

Entering last season, Sandoval looked poised to be a rising star for the Angels. He had just finished the 2022 season with a 2.91 ERA and impressed with two starts for Team Mexico during the World Baseball Classic.

However, the season did not go as expected. His walk rate increased significantly, while his strikeouts saw a noticeable drop.

“It’s hard for everyone, especially him, because he was really, really competing and then something like this happened,” manager Ron Washington said in June. “You have no control over it. But now we know he has to fix it. We just have to move on. I just wished him good luck and that I love him. I can’t say much more.”