Ohtani Shohei (29, LA Angels) will start the Major League (MLB) opening match for the second year in a row.
According to a report by ESPN on the 17th (Korean time), Angels manager Phil Neville announced that he had dropped Ohtani as the starting pitcher for the opening game at a press conference held in Tampee, Arizona, USA during spring training.
In MLB, it is common to disclose먹튀검증 the selection for the opening game of the regular season early, but the Angels entrusted Ohtani with the starting responsibility for the second consecutive year following last year.
Ohtani is the first in the history of the Angels club to be the starting pitcher for the opening game for two consecutive years since Jared Weaver, who served as the starting pitcher for the opening game from 2010 to 2015.
Ohtani met the Houston Astros in the opening game last year and recorded 4 hits, 9 strikeouts and 1 run in 4⅔ innings, and became a losing pitcher.
After being dropped as the starter for the 2023 season opener, Ohtani is scheduled to take the mound in the opening game against the Oakland Athletics on March 31.
The off-season Angels reinforced the mound, but Ohtani is the Angels’ ace this year as well.
Ohtani, who became the American League Most Valuable Player (MVP) in 2021, played 28 games as a pitcher last year as well, recording 15 wins and 9 losses and an average ERA of 2.33. He had a home run, 95 runs batted in, and an OPS (on-base percentage + slugging percentage) of 0.875.
For the Angels to challenge for the presidency, a healthy Ohtani’s steady performance is essential.
Meanwhile, Ohtani, who will qualify as a free agent (FA) after the end of the 2023 season, attended a press conference that day and was asked about his future plans.
In response, Ohtani said, “I am not an expert in the free agency market, and I do not want to get involved in it.” “I just want to focus on this season. My goal is to win.
Ohtani plans to join the Japanese national team camp for the 2023 World Baseball Classic (WBC) after building up his body at the Angels camp.