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| After missing the entire season due to elbow surgery, Akinori Otsuka is attempting to come back to the big leagues, and will throw for every major league club in a workout, according to NPBTracker.com. |
Our View: The Padres are known to be interested in his services. Otsuka had a good season in 2007, though it consisted of just 32.1 innings. He accumulated a 2.51 ERA and 1.08 WHIP in that time with four saves.
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| Now we know why the Rangers decided not to offer Akinori Otsuka a contract for next season. The Newberg Report notes that GM Jon Daniels stated at a Rangers fan event yesterday that Otsuka is headed for elbow surgery that will cost him the entire 2008 season. Otsuka had arm problems that kept him out for the second half of the '07 season, but this is the first we've heard of him needing some extensive elbow surgery. We'll keep you posted on his status going forward. |
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| The Rangers announced Wednesday that they didn't tender a contract to Akinori Otsuka. Now a free agent, Otsuka held a 2.51 ERA in 34 games this past year but was sidelined the last three months of the season with right forearm inflammation. It's status for the beginning of next season is unclear. |
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| Akinori Otsuka has resumed throwing for the first time in two months. Forearm tendinitis kept the right-hander from making any appearances after the All-Star break. GM Jon Daniels has said Otsuka hasn't had any problems with several sessions. "It's been encouraging," Daniels said in the Dallas Morning News. "Everything has been going well. Really, since mid-September, it's all been positive. It was just so late in the season that we wanted to be extra cautious." Assuming that Otsuka is healthy going into next year, there is a good chance he will be the Rangers closer. |
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| Akinori Otsuka is throwing off flat ground after a two-week hiatus despite still feeling some soreness in his right forearm. Otsuka said Wednesday that the area felt a little better but also said he isn't sure what path he'll take in trying to recover, according to the Dallas Morning News. Doctors have not advised him that surgery is necessary, but he could decide over the next two weeks whether or not to undergo a procedure. He will not pitch again this year. |
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| Akinori Otsuka isn't expected to pitch again this season even after three doctors who examined his sore right elbow found no structural damage. The right-hander will be shut down for up to three weeks before he tries to throw again. "If he can get through that, then he'll just rest over the winter. If not, surgery is a possibility," GM Jon Daniels said in the AP. "The reality is he probably won't pitch again this year." |
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| Elbow surgery has become an option for Akinori Otsuka, according to the Dallas Morning News. If he does opt to go under the knife, however, it's not expected to be a major procedure. We should know more about the situation in the coming weeks. Either way, don't expect any value out of Otsuka the rest of the way. |
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| Akinori Otsuka will seek a third opinion on his sore right elbow from noted orthopedist Dr. James Andrews, according to the AP. He has already been examined by Rangers team doctor Keith Meister and by Los Angeles Angels physician Lewis Yocum. Both diagnosed Otsuka with forearm tendinitis but found no structural damage to the elbow. "We're hoping Dr. Andrews says the same thing," assistant general manager Thad Levine said Monday.
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Our View: His availability for the rest of the season is in question now. Hopefully he'll get good news and can return sometime in September.
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| Akinori Otsuka, on the DL with inflammation in his right forearm, threw off flat ground on Tuesday, according to the Dallas Morning News. However, he hasn't been able to do anything more than that. The Rangers are hoping they can get Otsuka back by Sept. 1, but there's no guarantee that will happen. |
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| Team orthopedist Dr. Keith Meister and trainer Jamie Reed are expected to put together a throwing program for Akinori Otsuka today. Otsuka has not thrown for more than two weeks and acknowledged the most realistic date for his return might be when the rosters expand on September 1, according to the Dallas Morning News. |
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| Akinori Otsuka got good and not-so-good news Friday when he was examined by Dr. James Andrews. No significant structural damage was found in his right arm or elbow, but he will be shut down 7-10 days for rest and rehab, according to the Dallas Morning News. After that, he'll begin a throwing program. If he can avoid any setbacks, Otsuka could return to action later next month. |
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| Akinori Otsuka will see noted orthopedist Dr. Lewis Yocum this weekend to get a second opinion on his tender forearm. Dr. Keith Meister has already diagnosed him with muscle inflammation. Otsuka will not be back before next Tuesday's trade deadline. "It's just to ease his mind more than anything," GM Jon Daniels said in the Dallas Morning News. "He'll continue with rehab and will probably meet the club on the road." Daniels said a tear of the elbow ligament, which would require Tommy John surgery, is not a concern because Otsuka hasn't had any pain in his elbow. |
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| Rangers general manager Jon Daniels said Tuesday that it is unlikely Akinori Otsuka will be ready to pitch before next Tuesday's trade deadline. "We're day to day with Aki," Daniels told the Dallas Morning News. "We're encouraged by how he's throwing, but we're not going to rush him." Otsuka, who is coming back from inflammation in his right forearm, has been mentioned in numerous trade scenarios, but it is unlikely he'll be dealt while still on the DL. |
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| Akinori Otsuka, who is on the disabled list because of inflammation in his right forearm, made 15-20 throws off flat ground with no problems on Monday, according to the AP. He'll do it again Wednesday. |
Our View: He's likely won't be back until late-August.
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| Akinori Otsuka (forearm inflammation) will not pick up a baseball until Monday, according to the Rangers official site. At that point, he'll start playing catch again and work up to a bullpen session. The Rangers also want him to pitch at least one or two games on medical rehabilitation assignment before he's activated again. "By that time, we'll be looking at 20 days or so," GM Jon Daniels said. "We want to put him in an environment where he can test it and let it go." |
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| The Rangers finally decided to place Akinori Otsuka on the disabled list Thursday. He's been sidelined since July 1 due to inflammation in his right forearm. The move was backdated to July 9, which means he'll be eligible to return from the DL on July 24. |
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| Akinori Otsuka will be examined today by team orthopedist Dr. Keith Meister. Otsuka has not pitched since July 1 because of forearm tenderness. He tried to warm up to come into Tuesday's game but felt soreness after about 10 pitches, according to the Dallas Morning News. If the Rangers have to place Otsuka on the DL, they can only backdate the assignment to July 9, which means he wouldn't be eligible to pitch again until July 24. |
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| Akinori Otsuka, coming back from a tender right forearm, pronounced himself ready to resume pitching, but when he tried to warm up Tuesday night, the forearm tightened up on him. "I just couldn't get loose," Otsuka said. "I don't know what it is." The Rangers may have no choice but to place Otsuka on the disabled list and backdate it. Wes Littleton would likely be called up to replace Otsuka. |
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| Akinori Otsuka once again said he felt better after a bullpen session Monday, but that doesn't necessarily mean he'll be available to pitch tonight. Otsuka has since been bothered by forearm tenderness that the Rangers initially thought would be only a one- or two-day issue, but the right-hander has been sidelined for over two weeks, according to the Dallas Morning News. |
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| The Rangers still believe Akinori Otsuka will avoid the disabled list, despite already having missed 15 days of action with a tender forearm. He's reported improvement with each throwing session, but he was unable to pitch on Sunday, according to the Dallas Morning News. The Rangers hope he'll toss a bullpen session Monday and be available on Tuesday, but obviously nothing is written in stone due to his slow recovery thus far. |
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| Akinori Otsuka (tender forearm) played catch Thursday for the second time this week, the Dallas Morning News reports. Otsuka feels the injury is improving and told the Rangers he was optimistic he could pitch this weekend, but he might need at least one more day of rest. |
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| Pitching coach Mark Connor said that Akinori Otsuka will throw today, and that if all goes well, he could be available to pitch tonight. However, Otsuka, who's dealing with tightness in his forearm, said that the earliest he thinks he'll be available is Friday or Saturday, according to the Dallas Morning News. "We'll give him a couple of more days if that's what he needs," manager Ron Washington said. |
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| Akinori Otsuka won't rush back to the mound. Sidelined by tightness in forearm, the reliever is feeling better but said that he might not pitch again before the All-Star break, according to the Dallas Morning News. Manager Ron Washington, however, would like to have Otsuka back before the break. "We still have six games we're trying to win," Washington said. "We're not going to give up. We need Aki." |
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| Akinori Otsuka didn't feel significantly better Monday, a day after having to ask out of a game due to a sore forearm. The Rangers don't think Otsuka will need a DL stint, but he won't pitch before Wednesday, according to the Dallas Morning News. "I need a couple of days off," Otsuka said. "I'm a little disappointed about that. The team is going up; we are in a winning mode. And I can't pitch. That is disappointing." |
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| Akinori Otsuka asked to be taken out of Sunday's game due to tightness in his forearm. He was working for the second straight day and had thrown 15 pitches before calling to the dugout, according to the Dallas Morning News. Otsuka said he believed he would be available for game action in the next day or two, but more should be known about his status after he's examined again Monday. |
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| Akinori Otsuka has signed on for next season with the Rangers, avoiding arbitration in the process, according to the Star-Telegram. The one-year contract will pay him three million dollars. |
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| Akinori Otsuka said he may try acupuncture this winter as a means to alleviate the migraine headache problem that has cut short his season, according to the Dallas Morning News. He said the problem seemed to be exacerbated by the humidity in Texas. "It won't be a problem next year," he said. "I can adjust." |
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| Akinori Otsuka has been shut down for the final week of the season because of migraine headaches, the Rangers official site reports. He has been bothered by migraine headaches off-and-on since he was 20, and the problem has flared up recently. Otsuka has seen two doctors but the best medicine to help him also makes him tired, which obviously doesn't help him on the mound. Wes Littleton closed out the Rangers win Tuesday.
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| The Dallas Morning News reports that Akinori Otsuka may not get all of the Rangers' save opportunities the rest of the year. Manager Buck Showalter has stated that the team is monitoring Otsuka's workload. Otsuka has pitched only 59 2/3 innings, but he's also pitched in more stressful situations this season and had an earlier start because of the World Baseball Classic. |
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