Los Angeles Angels two-way star Shohei Ohtani had a difficult start to the team’s 10-game road trip. In the first seven games, he batted just .200 with a .604 OPS and one RBI while the Angels went 1-6. Then, in the final series of the trip against the Toronto Blue Jays, he returned to being his superhuman self.
At the plate, Ohtani helped the other Angels superstar Mike Trout to give the team 22 runs in three games. He went 4-for-11 with three walks, a home run, four RBIs, and a 1.318 OPS. On the mound, he pitched an absolute gem in the second game of the series, tossing 7.0 scoreless innings with only two hits, one walk, and nine strikeouts.
Trout, who has had plenty of incredible things to say about Ohtani over the past five years, kept his praise simple but impactful after the phenomenal three-game stretch, according to Julia Kreuz of MLB.com:
“Nothing surprises me anymore with him,” said Trout. “He’s unbelievable.”
Meanwhile, Tucker Davidson had much more to say, as he remains new to the experience of being Ohtani’s teammate. After pitching a solid outing of his own — one run on three hits and five walks over 4.0 innings — he spoke about what Ohtani managed to do in Toronto.
“It’s pretty incredible,” said Angels starter Tucker Davidson, who held the Blue Jays to just one run through four-plus innings on Sunday. “Because the day after [a start], I mean, my legs are sore, my back is sore. And he goes out there, has four ABs, helps the team, hits home runs. He does it all. It’s incredible.”
Davidson brings up a more underrated part of Ohtani’s dominance. People rarely discuss the physical toll pitching takes on the body, and for Ohtani to pitch seven near-flawless innings only to turn around and go 3-for-4 with a home run the next day is remarkable.
Angels fans have yet to become spoiled to Ohtani’s historic presence on the baseball diamond. Despite him wearing the uniform for the past five seasons, fans remain as in awe of Ohtani now as they did when he first joined the team in 2018.
Jo Adell flashes potential in Toronto
In total for the three-game sweep against the Blue Jays, Jo Adell went 5-of-12, with his best outing coming in the opener. Adell went 4-for-5 with two home runs, three RBIs, and three runs scored.
Angels interim manager Phil Nevin felt it was the type of performance that should give people hope that Adell is still improving, and can one day become the player he was anticipated to be when he first made the jump to MLB.