The Los Angeles Angels said Wednesday that Shohei Ohtani exited the mound in the midst of an at-bat during the second inning due to arm fatigue.
When the Angels’ training staff came out to check on Ohtani after a 94 mph fastball, he had a 2-2 count on Cincinnati Reds third baseman Christian Encarnacion-Strand. After a short conversation, Ohtani exited the mound after just 26 pitches in the first game of a doubleheader, which the Angels went on to lose 9-4.
Ohtani did not speak to the media after the first game because he was being evaluated, but manager Phil Nevin said Ohtani informed him his pitching arm “just didn’t feel right.”
“He told me he didn’t feel any pain,” Nevin said. “It was just more of the same thing he’s been feeling for the last couple of weeks.”
Ohtani launched his 44th home run of the season in the first inning of the first game, a two-run drive. He also departed that game as the Angels’ designated hitter, and was replaced by youngster Nolan Schanuel.
Ohtani returned to the Angels lineup at DH for the nightcap, finishing 1-for-5 with a double and a run scored in a 7-3 defeat. Only two games have been missed by the two-way sensation this season, none since May 2.
Last week, the American League MVP front-runner missed his prior turn in the rotation to rest his arm after a busy summer. Ohtani’s velocity was down across the board Wednesday when he faced the Reds’ first six hitters, but he sometimes progressively increases his pitching speeds in the early innings.
“Ohtani’s velocity was down in the second inning,” Nevin added. “I was noticing that the shapes on his pitches weren’t quite the same, and I just saw a look after a pitch, so I decided to go out there and check on him.”
Ohtani has dealt with blisters, cramping, and other minor problems to his pitching hand, but he has thrown through them while playing every day at DH, including three consecutive starts earlier this summer when he threw at least five innings in each game. Ohtani has seldom allowed pitching issues prevent him from batting for the Angels, even playing 106 games as the Angels’ designated hitter in 2019 while recuperating from Tommy John surgery. However, he departed the game against Seattle on Aug. 3 after four scoreless innings due to cramping in his hand and fingers.
Tyler Anderson took over on the mound for Ohtani, indicating that the Angels believed Ohtani would have a short start. Anderson is a regular starter for the Angels, and he was set to start the team’s first road trip against the Mets on Friday.
After another outstanding two-way season, Ohtani is nearly set to earn his second AL MVP title in three seasons. On the mound, he was 10-5 with a 3.17 ERA entering this game. His two-run homer earned him 91 RBIs, breaking a tie with Atlanta’s Matt Olson for the lead in homers.
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