Japanese baseball sensation Shohei Otani to miss six weeks following thigh injury – CBSSports.com

Nokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters pitcher/outfielder Shohei Otani is widely considered the best baseball player outside of Major League Baseball, and
the closest thing to a modern-day Babe Ruth proxy
. 

Yet Otani has again been bit by the injury bug. He skipped the World Baseball Classic due to an ankle injury, and will now miss an additional six weeks due to a strained thigh he suffered while legging out an infield single, according to the Associated Press: 

TOKYO — Japanese baseball player Shohei Otani will be sidelined for about six weeks because of a left-thigh muscle strain, his team said on Sunday.

Otani, who is expected to move to Major League Baseball in 2018, hurt his left leg trying to beat out an infield single in the Nippon Ham Fighters’ loss to the Orix BlueWave on Saturday.

Otani had thus far hit .407/.469/.815 in eight games, according to the Essence of Baseball. He had yet to pitch.

It’s unclear
whether Otani will head to the majors this winter due to how the new CBA affects his earning potential
. Wherever he’s playing — provided he can stay on the field, anyway — expect him to be the star of the show.