Shohei Ohtani (29, LA Angels) created a rare situation as a dual wielder. He lost once and gained once.
Ohtani started as a starting pitcher and second batter in the 2023 Major League (MLB) home game against the Houston Astros held at Angel Stadium in Anaheim, California, USA on the 10th (Korean time).
On that day, Ohtani recorded 6 hits (1 home run), 2 walks, 7 strikeouts and 3 runs in 7 innings as a pitcher, and took the 506th strikeout in his career, surpassing Babe Ruth’s career strikeout record (501). As a hitter, he had no hits in 3 at-bats, and his batting average of .30 collapsed (0.294).
Ohtani became a party to both strike obstructions that day. How could the catcher’s obstruction, which is hard to come by even once in a game, come to Ohtani twice?
In the top of the fourth inning, Ohtani, who struck out lead batter Jose Abreu on a swing, faced Kyle Tucker as the next hitter. The moment he threw the first ball cutter and induced a foul, the referee suddenly left his seat and gestured. It was determined that Tucker’s bat got caught in Angels catcher Chris OKay’s mitt. Ohtani vainly let runners on base.
However, Ohtani induced the next batter, Jeremy Pena, to ground a ball and caught the runner on first base. Catcher OK also helped Ohtani by blocking Pena’s attempt to steal second base.
In the 6th episode, Ohtani himself became the beneficiary. After two deaths, Mike Trout survived with a hit to left field, and Ohtani faced Houston starter Framber Valdez. He made a foul with the bat on his first two-seam fastball.먹튀검증
But at this time, Ohtani appealed to the referee that the bat had touched the catcher’s mitt. As the umpire accepted this, he survived on first base due to obstruction. Ohtani has already reached first base for obstruction four times this year alone. The follow-up hitter, Anthony Rendon, struck out and Ohtani was unable to score.
It is only possible because Ohtani is a two-handed player that both the mound and at bat were involved in obstruction of the bat. Although it may not be his honorable record, it is clear that it is an interesting scene.
But on this day, Ohtani couldn’t smile. In the top of the 5th inning when they were leading 1-0, he allowed Martin Maldonado to hit a two-run home run to turn the game around. In addition, Yodan Alvarez’s timely hit from the left came out, and the Angels eventually lost 1-3, and Ohtani also recorded his first loss of the season.