ARLINGTON http://www.diamondbacksfanproshop.com/authentic-patrick-corbin-jersey , Texas (AP) —elbow and the team says Tommy John surgery has been recommended.A couple of hours before Ohtani hit two home runs against Texas on Wednesday, the Angels said he had an MRI earlier in the day that revealed the problem in his right ulnar collateral ligament.“There’s more questions out there right now than answers. We’ll take it one step at a time,” manager Mike Scioscia said. “There’s a lot of consulting that Shohei will do with doctors and just see what the best course of action is, and we’ll see where we are.”The 24-year-old rookie was the Angels’ designated hitter for their series finale against the Rangers. He went 4 for 4 with three RBIs, four runs and a stolen base in a 9-3 victory over Texas.Ohtani didn’t speak with reporters after the announcement about his injury — or following the game.“He’s mentally tough in any situation he’s ever in,” Scioscia said. “Tonight, he was a hitter. He didn’t think about what the future is and what the decision is he’s got to make for his elbow. He was out there playing baseball and hitting the ball.”Asked whether Ohtani would stay in the lineup as a DH beyond Wednesday, Scioscia said: “We’ll see. That’s going to be determined from our medical department.”Angels general manager Billy Eppler said Ohtani hasn’t formally decided to have Tommy John surgery. Eppler and Ohtani plan to have an in-depth conversation about his future Monday after the Angels return from their road trip.“We committed to each other in this process, and we will get through it together as a team,” Eppler said. “But I do feel disappointment for the people in that clubhouse, and primarily Shohei.”The latest development has been dreaded by the Angels and Ohtani’s millions of fans since he was diagnosed with a sprained UCL following a start June 6. After receiving a platelet-rich plasma injection and an injection of stem cells, he was hitting again in early July, and he returned to the mound with his start Sunday at Houston.Ohtani lasted only 2 1/3 innings in that start against the Astros, and he had a drastic drop in velocity during the game. He had been scheduled to throw a light bullpen session Wednesday, but never did after reporting that his elbow was sore. The medical staff then decided that he should get the new MRI in Texas.The Angels and Ohtani clearly took a well-calculated risk in allowing the right-hander to pitch again this season after the Grade 2 sprain of his elbow ligament was discovered. Mindful of the typical recovery timetable from Tommy John surgery, they elected to see whether Ohtani could pitch again during a time frame when he would still likely miss only one full big league season, allowing him to conceivably return in 2020.Eppler declined to confirm any such math Randy Johnson Jersey , but the Angels realized the attempt to treat Ohtani’s elbow with rest and injections might not work.“It was something that we felt could happen, but we wanted to take a more conservative approach at this moment in time, and did that,” Eppler said.Although Ohtani is enjoying success as the Angels’ designated hitter, Eppler flatly declared that the Angels still see Ohtani as a two-way player, however long they must wait for his pitching career to resume.Eppler declined to speculate on when Ohtani could return to the lineup as a hitter in 2019 if he had Tommy John surgery soon, noting that Ohtani hasn’t even decided whether to get it done. Other position players have returned to hitting after Tommy John surgery within roughly six months of the procedure, but Ohtani’s case could be different because of his pitching abilities.“I’m sure at some point he’s going to resume his pitching career,” Scioscia said. “When that is depends on whatever the course of action is.”“We’d love to have him a whole season, but I think that taking a little half-step back here and seeing him pitch for a whole career is more important than looking back and saying “what if?'” he said.The injury puts a decided damper on one of the most exciting rookie seasons in big league history.In 10 starts on the mound, the right-hander was 4-2 with a 3.31 ERA. He struck out 63 with 22 walks in 51 2-3 innings.Ohtani hit his 16th homer Tuesday night, his first against a left-hander in the big leagues. He had already joined Babe Ruth as the only players ever to hit 15 homers and pitch 50 innings in a season.Ohtani went into Wednesday night’s game hitting .276 with 16 homers and 44 RBIs in 243 at-bats.Last fall, Ohtani was diagnosed with a sprained elbow ligament while in Japan. Major League Baseball teams were advised of his condition before they could bid on his rights.The Angels paid the $20 million posting fee to Ohtani’s previous club, the Nippon Ham Fighters. Ohtani, who is under the Angels’ contractual control for six years, signed a minor league contract and got $2,315 http://www.diamondbacksfanproshop.com/authentic-a.-j.-pollock-jersey ,000 in international bonus money from the Angels.On Monday, Scioscia said Ohtani had been evaluated after coming out of his pitching return early and that there was no apprehension about the elbow. The manager said then that Ohtani was dealing with tightness in his back and a sore right ring finger after a ball deflected off of it during that game, but that the elbow felt great.“When he was getting evaluated, there was obviously a little bit of soreness there,” Scioscia said Wednesday. “I don’t know if Shohei thought it was normal just from not having pitched for a while.” LOS ANGELES (AP) — Late September, a crucial series, and a postseason berth on the line. Yasiel Puig thrives in big-game situations, and once again he delivered.Puig didn’t start despite being on a tear at the plate. But he came off the bench to slug a tiebreaking, three-run homer in the seventh inning that sent the Los Angeles Dodgers past the Colorado Rockies 5-2 on Wednesday night to increase their NL West lead to 2½ games.“We’re going to win the West again,” Puig said. Walker Buehler struck out a career-high 12 and the Dodgers completed a three-game sweep of the second-place Rockies, giving the five-time defending NL West champions their largest division lead this season. They outscored Colorado 16-6 in the series, with homers proving to be the difference in each game.“It’s impressive,” manager Dave Roberts said of the sweep. “I believe our guys can sustain it.”The Rockies remained 1½ games behind St. Louis for the second NL wild card.“Like I’ve said all along, I think this is going to come down to the end,” manager Bud Black said. “I really do.”After falling into a 2-0 hole in a 36-pitch first inning, Buehler settled down and showed why he has become a dependable complement to Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw. The rookie right-hander allowed three hits and one walk over six innings, and neither run he gave up was earned.“I just slowed down a little bit Yasmany Tomas Jersey ,” Buehler said. “The later you get in the year the bigger it all feels.”Puig’s second career pinch-hit homer came off Scott Oberg (7-1) and ignited the crowd and his teammates, some of whom came out in front of the dugout to cheer. The always-excitable Puig raised both arms as he circled the bases.“I saw his first swing and I saw him hit the top half of the ball,” Oberg said. “I’m like, ‘OK, it’s probably a decent pitch to throw again.’ Sitting on it. Put a good swing on it. Over the fence. That’s it.”Puig is hitting .400 this month, with seven homers, nine runs and 14 RBIs. He hit five homers in two days recently.The Dodgers showed off their depth in the seventh. After pinch-hitter Joc Pederson fouled out, Max Muncy drew a pinch-hit walk. Yasmani Grandal doubled to deep right field, moving Muncy to third and setting up Puig.“This series was emblematic of our ballclub,” Roberts said. “How many people had their hands in to help us win three ballgames.”Caleb Ferguson (7-2) got two outs and Kenley Jansen closed for his 36th save.Buehler gave up a two-run single to Ian Desmond in the first after the pitcher made a run-saving throw to the plate when Gerardo Parra grounded into a fielder’s choice.Matt Kemp homered on the first pitch from Tyler Anderson in the second, giving the Dodgers seven players with 20 or more homers in a season for the first time in franchise history. That left them trailing 2-1. Brian Dozier’s RBI double tied the game 2-all in the fifth. Enrique Hernandez singled leading off and made a headfirst slide at the plate, with his feet barely eluding the tag of catcher Chris Iannetta.Anderson gave up two runs and three hits in six innings. He struck out four and walked two.The Dodgers went 12-7 against the Rockies this season and swept them twice. Colorado, which lost two of three at home to Los Angeles earlier this month, fell to 1-5 on its nine-game road trip.“You can see it as a tale of two teams right now with the Dodgers,” Iannetta said. “They’re getting hot over the last week and a half and we’ve been grinding a little bit the last week and a half. We’ve had moments, but we haven’t really had consistent production.”TRAINER’S ROOMRockies: SS Trevor Story is receiving treatment for right elbow inflammation in Arizona, and the team is encouraged that he could return soon. Story might participate in some baseball activities at the club’s spring training facility in Phoenix http://www.diamondbacksfanproshop.com/authentic-shelby-miller-jersey , where the Rockies are headed next to play the Diamondbacks.TROUBLE AT HOMEThings aren’t going as well for Puig at home. TMZ reported that the slugger’s home in the San Fernando Valley was broken into for the fourth time on Tuesday night when he was at the ballpark.“I (did) not sleep too much yesterday,” Puig said, without offering details about the incident.Previous break-ins occurred in March 2017, during Game 7 of last year’s World Series and then last month.DODGERS AT HOMEWith three home games left in the regular season, the Dodgers are 42-36, their worst record in LA since going 42-39 in 2011. Their latest win allowed them to clinch a 13th straight winning season at Chavez Ravine.BLACKMON’S STREAKCharlie Blackmon singled in the first, extending his hitting streak to 12 games, the longest active steak in the majors. He’s hitting .390 with nine runs, five doubles, four homers and eight RBIs since Sept. 8.UP NEXTRockies: Off on Thursday before sending RHP German Marquez (12-10, 3.96 ERA) to the mound against third-place Arizona.Dodgers: After an off day Thursday, LHP Rich Hill (9-5, 4.02) starts the opener of a three-game series against the last-place Padres.