From swiftly cleaning out his Los Angeles Angels' locker to keeping his MLB free agency movements under wraps, new Los Angles Dodgers acquisition Shohei Ohtani can be perceived as a bit of an enigma. The Japanese star's inclination to handle his business in private is understandable, but many have been left perplexed by the nature of his most recent elbow surgery.

Is it a second Tommy John? No one really knows for certain. The vagueness expressed by Ohtani's team and the reigning American League MVP himself can be distressing to Dodgers fans- who are hoping he can seamlessly return to the mound in 2025. Though, there is ostensibly some optimism concerning the status of Ohtani's recovery process.

“I asked Nez Balelo {Ohtani's agent} directly about the surgery Shohei Ohtani had,” J.P. Hoornstra of Dodgers Nation posted on X. “He said it has no name – that’s how uncommon it is – and his progress so far is ahead of the typical Tommy John surgery timetable for recovery.”

Shotime, despite not confirming if he underwent a second UCL reconstruction, did echo Balelo's comments when he told the media that his September procedure is “completely different” than the Tommy John surgery that prevented him from pitching for all of 2019, per The Athletic's Fabian Ardaya.

Although the baseball world would greatly appreciate something concrete regarding the nature of the injury, Shohei Ohtani appears to be progressing forward as expected. The 29-year-old is currently on track to pitch a simulated game in September, according to a recent Los Angeles Times report.

How Ohtani performs after another long rehab is obviously unknown, but this topic is sure to command plenty of national attention in the months to come.