Los Angeles Angels two-way star Shohei Ohtani will undergo season-ending knee surgery to repair an issue with his bipartite patella, Angels general manager Billy Eppler announced on Thursday:

After undergoing Tommy John surgery in the offseason that would force him exclusively into a role as the Angels designated hitter, Ohtani has quietly put together another impressive season at the dish.

The 2018 American League Rookie of the Year was slashing .286/.343/.505 with 18 homers and 12 stolen bases, and his 122 wRC+ is second among all Angels players with at least 400 plate appearances.

Ohtani was one of the most highly-anticipated international signings last winter, and he surprised the baseball community by spurning big-payroll teams like the New York Yankees to sign with the Angels.

After establishing himself as a star in Japan, many were intrigued to see if Ohtani could replicate his success in the MLB, and whether or not the Angels would let him pitch and hit.

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Indeed, Ohtani would have plenty of chances to prove just how talented he could be on the rubber and at the plate. Although injuries would limit him to just 10 starts, Ohtani posted a 3.31 ERA and 11.0 K/9 while showcasing a lively fastball and some hard-biting breaking stuff.

Meanwhile, Ohtani clubbed 22 homers and had a 151 OPS+ last season, becoming the first player since Babe Ruth (1919) to pitch at least 50 innings and hit at least 15 homers:

Of course, Ohtani will make a full recovery in plenty of time for Spring Training, and the Angels will hope that his elbow will also heal accordingly so that he can figure into the 2020 starting rotation.