Ohtani’s Hot Start On The Mound Continues, Ks 11 In 7 Scoreless
On Star Wars Night in Anaheim, Japanese superstar Shohei Ohtani shined the brightest. The two-way phenom turned in another brilliant start against the Royals on Friday, tossing seven shutout innings and striking out a season-high 11, and leading the Angels to a 2-0 win.
Ohtani’s season ERA improves to 0.64. He has struck out 32.9% of hitters and has held them to an impressive .093 batting average.
Friday’s start was the 2021 AL MVP’s first-ever start on three days of rest, thanks to the shortened start on Monday against the Red Sox. It was not an issue for Ohtani, who opened the game by striking out the side. It was the first time this season that the Japanese right-hander did not walk the leadoff hitter.
Ohtani said that he felt good despite the short rest. “I slept pretty well, and so I came in pretty fresh. I didn’t really have that [short rest] in mind,” Ohtani said.
Ohtani struck out the last six hitters to wrap up his dominant outing. Hitters whiffed on 42% of their swings, for a total of 22 whiffs, and just three of Ohtani’s pitches were hit hard into fair territory.
An interesting change in this particular start was the increased cutter and curveball usage. Ohtani threw his cutter 21 times, which is as much as he has thrown it on all of his other starts combined. He threw his curveball nine times, including one looping 68 mph pitch, and hitters whiffed on four of them.
Ohtani felt like he mixed his pitches well. “It was a good balance [of pitch types], the third time around the order I was able to mix in the curveball well,” Ohtani said. “I felt that hitters were sitting on the breaking ball, but if I threw two different types they’d have a more difficult time.”
Baseball Savant’s release point chart shows Ohtani’s consistent release point. All six pitches that Ohtani threw on Friday all come from a similar release point but have drastically different movements and speeds ranging from 68 mph to 100 mph, making it difficult for hitters to predict what pitch comes next.
Angels manager Phil Nevin said that since Ohtani calls his own pitches, he studies hitters and understands when he can use a specific pitch. “From a hitter’s standpoint, I would have no idea what to prepare for,” Nevin said.
Today’s game was the first time Ohtani was caught by Chad Wallach after Logan O’Hoppe was placed on the 10-day injured list. Ohtani was thankful for Wallach. “He was great, he framed the balls on the corners well and got me strikes,” Ohtani said. Wallach also helped out Ohtani at the plate, hitting the go-ahead two-run homer in the bottom of the third.
Ohtani’s next scheduled start is on April 27th against the Athletics at 4:07 EST/1:07 PT.
MLB To Experiment With Designated Pinch Runner In 2023 Atlantic League Season
Major League Baseball announced today that it will experiment with various rule changes in the Atlantic League this season, which begins April 28. Since 2019, the Atlantic League and MLB have had a partnership whereby the latter uses the former to test out rule changes before they are brought to the majors, with the general goal being a better pace of play and more game action.
This year’s season will be testing the following rules, with direct wording from the MLB release:
- New to the Atlantic League this season will be the use of a Designated Pinch Runner. Each club will list a player who is not otherwise in the starting lineup as a designated pinch runner. That player may then be substituted at any point into the game as a baserunner. The player who is substituted for, as well as the pinch runner, may then return to the game without penalty.
- Unlike the new MLB rule which allows a pitcher to disengage from the pitching rubber twice during an at-bat, the Atlantic League will permit only a single disengagement per at-bat in 2023.
- The ALPB will continue the use of the “Double-Hook” DH rule, which allows clubs to use the designated hitter throughout the game provided that the club’s starting pitcher has completed at least five innings. If the starter fails to make it through the fifth, the club then loses the DH for the remainder of the game.
Of these three changes, the first one is clearly the most significant. The “Double-Hook” rule is not in place in the majors, but was previously attempted in the Atlantic League in 2021. Initially, a team would lose its designated hitter as soon as the starter was removed from the game. Last year, that was modified so that a team could keep its DH if the starter lasted five innings, with that modification continuing into 2023. The goal here seems to discourage creative pitcher usage, such as deploying openers or bullpen games. This would also increase the importance of strong starting pitching, something that has waned with time as teams rely more and more on relievers to finish games. Even if this rule were to ultimate make it to the major leagues, it wouldn’t be a drastic change, as it would simply revert certain teams to pre-DH rules on a temporary basis. The universal DH only became permanent a year ago with the new Collective Bargaining Agreement.
The disengagement rule is already in place at the major league level, with this just being a slight modification of it. The goal there is to increase action by having more base stealing attempts. Along those same lines, we have this new designated runner rule. It’s easy to see how this would lead to increased action on the bases, with the league having many players who can hit but who lack speed, or vice versa. Pinch running is obviously not new to baseball, but it has traditionally involved the removed runner also being removed from the game entirely. This new rule would allow a pinch running specialist to repeatedly ply their trade throughout the game, whereas a slower player could be removed early in a game but continue to hold their place in the lineup.
Like all proposed rule changes, the intended goals will be tested to see if they actually work, while many will debate whether the changes are worth it. Some baseball fans are resistant to any change whatsoever, while even some who don’t consider themselves traditionalists might still have problems with certain proposals.
It’s worth stating that it’s not a given that a rule tested in the Atlantic League will inevitably make it to the majors. Some changes have made the jump, including the three-batter minimum for pitchers, the bigger bases, defensive shift restrictions and others. But there are also changes that were tried and ultimately abandoned, such as moving the pitching rubber back one foot.
Boston Rain Cuts Ohtani Start Short
Shohei Ohtani took the mound at the historic Fenway Park in Boston for his fourth start this season on Monday. Ohtani’s start was unfortunately cut short to two innings due to over two combined hours of rain delays.
The Angels’ ace, who entered the game with a 0.47 ERA, held Boston hitless but allowed a single run in the short outing. The combination of poor weather and delays initially seemed to play a role, as the Japanese right-hander’s early season control issues continued. Ohtani walked leadoff hitter Raimel Tapia, then threw two wild pitches that moved Tapia to third. Tapia then scored on a Rob Refsnyder groundout. Ohtani bounced back and struck out his Team Japan teammate Masataka Yoshida on an elevated 98.4 mph fastball, the hardest pitch he threw on the day.
During Ohtani’s warmup at the start of the 2nd inning, the Fenway Park grounds crew rushed onto the mound to pour quick dry dirt, leading to a short delay. The delay took about 10 minutes and was extended even further by a PitchCom issue. The delay did not faze Ohtani, who tossed a clean, efficient inning and struck out two.
During the top of the 3rd inning, the rain had reached a level where the tarp had to come out, causing an 85-minute delay. Angels skipper Phil Nevin knew that Ohtani would have to come off the mound during the second rain delay. “As much as I know he [Ohtani] keeps himself ready to go and pitch, it got past that 30-40 minute mark and I wasn’t going to send him back out,” Nevin said.
The preparation for this game was already challenging for Ohtani and the Halos even before the rain delays. The original start time on Monday was 11:10 AM EST for Patriots’ Day, which meant that it was an 8:10 AM start for Angels players. Because of the unique start time, the Angels rested core players including Mike Trout and Anthony Rendon. “That was the hardest part,” said Ohtani regarding the early start, through interpreter Ippei Mizuhara. “The bus left at 7:30, so I was up and moving by 6:45,” said Ohtani.
The game was Ohtani’s second start at Fenway Park. When asked about his experience, Ohtani said, “It’s one of my favorite parks, so I always look forward to pitching here, but the conditions didn’t allow me to have fun fully. Other than that I always look forward to pitching here.”
Ohtani’s first pitching appearance at the famed ballpark last May was one of the most dominant pitching performances in his big league career. He tossed seven shutout innings, struck out 11, got a career-high 29 swings-and-misses, and threw 81 of his 99 pitches for strikes.
Monday wasn’t the first time Ohtani has expressed his fondness for the ballpark. “That’s one of my favorite ballparks,” said Ohtani after the shutout performance last year. “I was looking forward to pitching here, and I felt like it left a really good impression on me.”
The Red Sox reportedly came close to signing Ohtani out of high school back in 2012, however, they were not on his final list of destinations when he was posted in 2017.
Ohtani is now at a 0.86 ERA, and his next turn in the rotation is supposed to be on Sunday, but today’s short outing might change the Angels’ plans. Angels beat writer Jeff Fletcher reported that Nevin said that “they will talk” about Ohtani’s upcoming pitching schedule.
UPDATE: The Angels have decided to move up Shohei Ohtani’s start from Sunday to Friday, according to Angels beat writer Jeff Fletcher. Ohtani will face the Kansas City Royals on Friday at home in Anaheim. Ohtani works on five days of rest, so his next projected start after Friday will be on April 27th against the Oakland Athletics, which is also at home. Based on Fletcher’s projected schedule, the move will allow Ohtani to face AL West rival Houston Astros and also squeezes an extra start out of him since his turns in the original schedule would have had him pitching on rest days.
“I’ve Never Seen Shohei Like That”: Team Japan Manager Discusses Ohtani
Following the success of Team Japan at the World Baseball Classic, manager Hideki Kuriyama has been making multiple TV appearances in recent weeks, one of them including the documentary sports show GET SPORTS. In the interview, Kuriyama revealed behind-the-scenes stories of Team Japan and their biggest star, Shohei Ohtani.
Ohtani’s tournament MVP campaign showed Kuriyama and baseball fans around the world a new side of Ohtani.
The Origin of Kuriyama and Ohtani’s Relationship
Ohtani and Kuriyama’s relationship dates back to before Ohtani entered the pros in Japan. “Since the first time I ever saw him in high school, I thought it was out of the question to have him choose between pitching or hitting,” said Kuriyama, in a 2021 interview.
At the time, Ohtani faced pressure to choose to be a pitcher or a field player and also wanted to go to the big leagues straight out of high school.
Kuriyama, then manager of the Nippon Ham Fighters, was at the heart of negotiations to convince Ohtani to sign with the team after drafting him in 2012. Kuriyama and the Fighters made the unprecedented pitch to Ohtani to provide him with the resources and opportunities to make the two-way play work.
They were a successful pairing, with Ohtani earning individual accolades and breaking barriers in two-way play and the Fighters winning the Pacific League pennant and the Japan Series in 2016.
The Quarterfinal vs. Italy
Japan cruised to a 9-3 win against Italy in the WBC Quarterfinal, buoyed by Ohtani’s solid start on the mound. The game against Italy was filled with moments of surprise for Kuriyama.
The first came in the 3rd inning, where with one out and a runner at first, Ohtani laid down a bunt and got on base. The bunt sparked the scuffling Japan offense and led to a 4-run inning.
The unexpected move stunned the sold-out Tokyo Dome crowd and Kuriyama, who did not signal for Ohtani to bunt.
“Well, it was typical of Shohei to do something so unexpected like that. But my honest reaction was what the hell was that bunt?” Kuriyama jokingly said. “It was terrible! He couldn’t have laid down a better bunt?”
On the pitching side, Ohtani came out in the middle of the 5th inning after giving up a 2-run double. Kuriyama is known for not going to the mound when making a pitching change, but this game was different. Pitching Coach Masato Yoshii urged Kuriyama to go up on the mound for the change.
“It was my first time going up to the mound to take him [Ohtani] off,” Kuriyama said.
What truly shocked Kuriyama was that Ohtani apologized as he walked off the mound. “It was a moment of honesty from him. Those words hit heavy. It was the first time I ever heard an apology from him during a game . . . He’s always been the type to focus on what’s next and focus on what he can do to solve the issue before making an apology.’”
The Semifinal vs. Mexico
The WBC semifinal was arguably the most dramatic game of the tournament, with Japan coming back to win in the ninth inning 6-5 on a 2-run walk-off double from Munetaka Murakami.
Ohtani ignited the comeback down 5-4 in the ninth with a lead-off double. His helmet came flying off as he ran to second, and once he reached base he fiercely urged his team to follow up. Despite his many years of managing Ohtani, it was a side of Ohtani that Kuriyama had never seen before.
“ If you watch it over, you can see that he’s choked up on the bat ever so slightly. In over a decade of knowing him and managing him, I’ve never seen Shohei play with so much emotion. . . Then it clicked for me. THIS is what he wanted to do. To do everything in his power to try to win in a do-or-die situation.”
Kuriyama also shared what led up to the moment.
“I heard about it after the fact, but apparently, he told the bench, ‘I’m going to go get a hit and get on base.’”
This wasn’t the first time Ohtani called his shot. Back in 2016, Kuriyama started Ohtani as the lead-off hitter and the starting pitcher for the first time. It was the first time in 70 years that a pitcher hit lead-off in the NPB. Ohtani responded by hitting a leadoff homer.
“He told us [the bench] that he was going to go and hit a home run and opened the game with a lead-off home run like it was no big deal,” Kuriyama said.
The Final vs. Team USA
The WBC championship game was another instant classic. Ohtani took the mound in the ninth to close out the game for Team Japan, who held a 3-2 lead over Team USA.
After walking Jeff McNeil, Ohtani got Mookie Betts to ground out into a double play. With two outs in the ninth inning of a one-run game, baseball fans got their dream matchup: Shohei Ohtani vs. Mike Trout. Ohtani struck out Trout on a nasty sweeper to win the game and delivered a third WBC title to his country.
It wasn’t always a guarantee that Ohtani was going to pitch in the Final because of the congested tournament schedule, but the plan to close the game with Yu Darvish and Ohtani was always in the back of Kuriyama’s mind.
“I always knew that we were going to have to face Team USA, in America, for us to win the championship. I wanted to use pitchers who have experience pitching in the US. Based on the [WBC] schedule, starting pitchers can only go once or twice. But I kept thinking of ways to let Shohei and Darvish pitch three times, and the only way to do that is starting twice in the early going and pitching in the final,” Kuriyama said.
Ohtani had not closed a game since 2016, in the clinching game of the Japan Series with the Nippon Ham Fighters.
“Shohei is the type of player that the more homework you give him and the more you challenge him, his talent is maximized. After all this time together, there’s no doubt about that,” Kuriyama said.
Submit Your Questions For The MLB Trade Rumors Podcast
Each week on the MLB Trade Rumors podcast we’ll answer questions submitted by our readers. With the next episode due out Wednesday morning, we’re looking for MLBTR readers to submit a voice memo with their question and we’ll pick three to answer.
This week, I’ll be joined by MLBTR founder Tim Dierkes. If there’s anything you’d like to get myself and Tim’s thoughts on then please submit your questions to mlbtrpod@gmail.com.
Voice memos will be played out on air so speak clearly and cleanly. Please start your recording with your name and try and keep it as succinct as possible – no more than 15 seconds. An example might be: “Hey guys, Simon here in Minneapolis, what are your thoughts on the Pablo Lopez extension and do you think the Twins will try and extend any of their other starters?”
We look forward to hearing from you!
In the meantime, don’t forget to subscribe to the podcast on Spotify and Apple Podcasts.
You can also listen to Episode 2 on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and wherever you get your podcasts! On that episode, Steve Adams and I discussed the Rays’ hot start to the season, Grayson Rodriguez‘ call-up to the Orioles, the state of the Angels’ bullpen and much more.
Retraction On New Balance Fresh Foam 3000
Today, we posted a story about how New Balance Fresh Foam 3000 cleats violated regulations set by the Japanese High School Baseball Federation, and are therefore not allowed in Japan’s high school Koshien tournament. While that is true, we wrote that the cleats were “marketed as a Shohei Ohtani product,” which is not correct. We regret the error.
MLB Agency Update
As you know, we maintain an MLB agency database here at MLB Trade Rumors, consisting of all players who played in the Majors in the last three completed seasons (currently 2020-22).
We currently have 559 players for whom we do not have an agency, and they’re listed if you hit the “Read More” button. If your company represents any of these players, or you know of their agencies through media reports or social media, please reach out through our contact form.
In the database, you will find the 1,742 players for whom we do have an agency, but errors are possible. If you see any errors please contact us about that as well!
Here’s the list of players for whom we do not have an agency:
Salt Lake City Group Interested In MLB Expansion Franchise
Big League Utah, a group led by former Utah Jazz owner Gail Miller, is interested in bringing an expansion Major League Baseball franchise to Salt Lake City, reports Jeff Passan of ESPN.
Major League Baseball has not expanded in 25 years now, when the 1998 season saw the league grow to 30 teams with the additions of the Arizona Diamondbacks and Tampa Bay Devil Rays, with the latter club later dropping the demonic portion of their name. Many have wondered when the league might consider expanding again, with commissioner Rob Manfred frequently stating that the Rays and Athletics need to resolve their respective stadium situations before expansion will be legitimately on the table. Passan’s report indicates that is indeed still the priority, though all signs point to expansion being just over the horizon.
Both of those stadium situations seem to be moving towards resolutions, one way or another. The Rays have put forth a plan to redevelop the St. Petersburg Gas Plant District, with mayor Ken Welch backing the proposal. The negotiations are still ongoing but it seems like progress is being made before the club’s lease on Tropicana Field expires after the 2027 season. The A’s, meanwhile, have been in talks with the city of Oakland for a while about developing their own stadium, threatening to move to Las Vegas if nothing gets done. Manfred recently suggested that January of 2024 is an unofficial deadline for them to get something done with Oakland.
As those situations near their conclusions, the talk of expansion should only increase. A couple of groups have already positioned themselves to be in the mix for new franchises. A group in Nashville has attached familiar names like Dave Dombrowski, Tony La Russa and Dave Stewart. They recently added Don Mattingly while branding themselves as the Nashville Stars. Dombrowski and Mattingly are currently employed by the Phillies and Blue Jays, respectively, but are still connected to the Stars/Music City Baseball. There’s also the Portland Diamond Project, which has been trying to position itself for a club for many years, submitting bids for parcels of land five years ago. Passan also lists Charlotte, Montreal and Las Vegas as potential expansion locations, the latter presumably only if they don’t end up hosting the Athletics.
Those two ventures will now seemingly have some competition from this Salt Lake City group. The 79-year-old Miller owned the Utah Jazz until recently. Her husband Larry H. Miller had purchased the team in the 1980s but she took over the club, and his other business ventures, upon his death in 2009. The Miller family sold the Jazz in October of 2020. Passan reports that Big League Utah involves the Larry H. Miller Company but also former big leaguers Dale Murphy and Jeremy Guthrie, both of whom live in Utah now. The group has its sights set on building a stadium in the Rocky Mountain Power District, an area outside the downtown core of Salt Lake City.
“Salt Lake City is a major league city,” said Steve Starks, CEO of the Miller Company. “We believe that as a top-30 media market in the fastest-growing state in the country with the youngest population, that’s where our attention should be — and that we could accomplish bringing a team to the Wasatch Front.”
Utah Governor Spencer Cox also seems on board. “It would be, I think, a validation of everything that we’ve worked so hard to do,” Cox said. “We’ve proven ourselves in a sports capacity with Olympics in 2002 and coming back in 2030 or, more likely, 2034. We’ve hosted two NBA All-Star Games. We know we can do this. It would just be meaningful for people who love this sport, who care deeply about it. We’re a baseball state.”
Per Passan’s report, members of the group have already been in contact with Major League Baseball and have also toured the facilities of the Atlanta Braves. They are touting the viability of Salt Lake City as a destination based on its population, which makes it a larger media market than that of the Padres, Royals, Reds and Brewers. They also highlight a strong economy which includes an unemployment rate of just 2.4%. Starks also said local residents were surveyed about their preferences for expansion sports teams and MLB was the top choice in that polling, ahead of the NFL.
However the expansion competition ultimately plays out, it figures to be a boon to the league. For one thing, expansion tends to create millions of new dedicated fans, which is good for growing the sport. There also should be plenty of interest among current baseball fans, as expansion will need to be accompanied by a draft, with the new clubs filling their rosters by plucking players from the others. Beyond that, expansion franchises pay fees for the right to join the league, with that money divided amongst the existing clubs. The new franchises in Arizona and Tampa each paid $130MM in fees back in 1998 but Passan estimates the fee will be closer to $2 billion this time around.
Shohei Ohtani Breaks 50-Year-Old Nolan Ryan Record, Shuts Down Nationals In 2-0 Win
On Tuesday night, Shohei Ohtani took the mound for the third time this season and tossed seven shutout innings to lead the Los Angeles Angels to a 2-0 win against the Washington Nationals.
The Japanese two-way superstar struck out six and held the Nats to just one hit in another dominant outing. The right-hander has improved to 0.47 ERA and 24 Ks in 19 innings, only giving up a single allowed run in his three starts. He’s struck out 32% of batters faced, while he’s been a bit wild in the early going with a 16 BB%. The advanced stats are also impressive, holding hitters to just .150 xBA and .196 xSLG.
This was Ohtani’s tenth consecutive start with two or fewer runs given up, setting a new franchise record and surpassing Nolan Ryan’s nine-game streak set back in 1972-1973.
Sho-Time has another impressive streak going. According to ESPN Stats and Info, this is Ohtani’s 7th straight start dating back to last season with 3 or fewer hits allowed in at least 5 innings pitched. The 7-game streak is tied for the second-highest all-time behind Jacob DeGrom’s 8-game record set in 2021. Ohtani will get the chance to tie DeGrom’s record in his next outing.
Ohtani still sees room for improvement despite his impressive start to the season. “If you just look at the results on paper it looks great, but I haven’t really had too many 1-2-3 innings,” said Ohtani, through his interpreter Ippei Mizuhara.
It was a surprisingly efficient outing for the 2021 AL MVP, who is still overcoming his early season control struggles. He finished the game at 92 pitches despite giving up a combined six walks and HBP. He seemed to struggle with the umpire’s strike zone, and the usually calm-demeanored right-hander was more expressive and would turn his head in confusion when he did not get calls on borderline pitches.
Although he struggled with his control, Ohtani was able to keep hitters off-balance by changing speeds and shapes on his pitches. According to Baseball Savant’s pitcher report, Nats hitters made contact with 28 of Ohtani’s pitches, but only three were hit hard into fair territory.
Angels manager Phil Nevin said that Ohtani’s in-game adjustments have been impressive. “He’s added some shapes to his pitches. The adjustments he’s making in-game and between starts are what great pitchers do,” said the Halos skipper. “He got some pitches tonight that we haven’t seen and [Ohtani was] very effective.”
Fans usually think of overpowering 100mph fastballs when Ohtani’s on the mound, but it was another game where Ohtani leaned heavily on his sweeper. He threw his sweeper 51 times in this game, 55% of his total pitches, and got five whiffs. It’s a small sample size, but Ohtani’s sweeper usage has dramatically from 37.4% last season to up to 49% and the pitch has the run value of -6.
The game plan and approach isn’t the only part of Ohtani’s game that is evolving. The average horizontal movement of Ohtani’s sweeper has increased from 14 inches in 2022 to 17.6 inches this year. The movement of his sweeper caught the attention of fans on Twitter after The Pitching Ninja posted a clip of an Ohtani sweeper with 20 inches of break.
Ohtani will get his first day off tonight, as the Angels try to effectively manage his heavy workload. His next projected start is against the Boston Red Sox next Monday, April 17th, at 11:10 EST.
Submit Your Questions For The MLB Trade Rumors Podcast
The MLB Trade Rumors podcast is back, and we’re looking for MLBTR readers to submit questions to be answered in the next episode due out Wednesday morning.
This week, I’ll be joined by MLBTR’s Steve Adams. If there’s anything you’d like to get myself and Steve’s thoughts on then please submit your questions to mlbtrpod@gmail.com. We look forward to hearing from you!
In the meantime, don’t forget to subscribe to the podcast on Spotify and Apple Podcasts.
You can also listen to Episode 1 on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and wherever you get your podcasts! On that episode, Anthony Franco and I discussed Shohei Ohtani‘s future in LA, took a look at the Cardinals’ and Marlins’ rotation pictures and wondered what Jake Cronenworth‘s extension in San Diego means for other Padres players.