Shohei Ohtani on 2022 MLB Home Run Derby: 'I Definitely Want to Participate Again'
Jul 14, 2021
American League's Shohei Ohtani, of the Los Angeles Angeles, hits during the first round of the MLB All Star baseball Home Run Derby, Monday, July 12, 2021, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
Fresh off being the face of Major League Baseball's All-Star festivities, Shohei Ohtani hopes to have another opportunity to participate in one of the sport's signature events.
Speaking to reporters after the American League's 5-2 win over the National League on Tuesday night, Ohtani was asked about potentially taking part in a future Home Run Derby.
"I definitely want to participate again," Ohtani said through his interpreter. "But for that to happen, I need to have a good first half of that season."
Ohtani embraced his role as the new face of MLB over the past two days. The 27-year-old was the No. 1 overall seed in the Home Run Derby. He also became the first player ever to start the All-Star Game as a pitcher and position player.
Even though the Home Run Derby result wasn't what fans were hoping to see, Ohtani still put on a fantastic show. His first-round matchup with Juan Soto went to a double-swing off that the Washington Nationals star won 31-28.
Ohtani also tossed one scoreless inning on the mound and went 0-for-2 as the designated hitter in Tuesday's All-Star Game.
Even though year-to-year performance can be difficult to predict, it seems unlikely that Ohtani won't be invited to the All-Star Game many more times in his career.
The Japanese sensation leads MLB with 33 homers, four triples and 210 total bases. He ranks first in the AL with a .698 slugging percentage, in addition to having a 3.49 ERA and 87 strikeouts in 67 innings as a pitcher.
Los Angeles Angels Select Pitchers with All 20 Picks in 2021 MLB Draft
Jul 13, 2021
Miami (Oh) pitcher Sam Bachman throws against Florida International during an NCAA baseball game on Friday, Feb 26, 2021 in Miami. (AP Photo/Doug Murray)
Having struggled to develop pitching for years, the Los Angeles Angels scouting department apparently made finding arms a priority during the 2021 Major League Baseball draft.
As noted by JJ Cooper of Baseball America, the Angels drafted 20 pitchers with each of their 20 picks:
The Angels just selected TCU RHP Marcelo Perez in the 20th round. They did not select any position players in a 20 round draft. They have 20 pick. They picked 20 pitchers. Unreal. https://t.co/XeG8bnQ8RW
Of the 20 pitchers the Angels selected, 19 of them were college arms. Mason Albright from IMG Academy was their only prep pitcher taken, in the 12th round.
Since college pitchers are more advanced in their development than high schoolers, the Angels could theoretically fill out their staff with several of these pitchers within the next two years.
First-round pick Sam Bachman is the crown jewel of the group. The Miami (Ohio) product was selected No. 9 overall. He improved his command in 2021, walking just 2.6 hitters per nine innings after averaging 4.1 per nine innings in the previous two seasons combined.
The Angels currently rank 26th in MLB with a 4.90 ERA. They haven't ranked higher than 19th in that category since 2017.
Starting pitching is definitely going to be an area of need for the Angels this offseason. Shohei Ohtani and Patrick Sandoval are their only two starters under team control beyond the 2021 campaign.
Stephen A. Smith Addresses Shohei Ohtani Comments: 'I Was Wrong. Period'
Jul 13, 2021
MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN - JULY 11: ESPN analyst Stephen A. Smith during Game Three of the NBA Finals between the Milwaukee Bucks and the Phoenix Suns at Fiserv Forum on July 11, 2021 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Justin Casterline/Getty Images)
ESPN's Stephen A. Smith addressed his offensive comments about Los Angeles Angels star Shohei Ohtani during Tuesday's episode of First Take.
"I was wrong. Period," Smith said at the start of the show.
Smith generated controversy on Monday's episode of First Take when he said Ohtani using an interpreter "contributes to harming" Major League Baseball's popularity in the United States.
Amid backlash to those comments, Smith posted a video on Twitter doubling down on what he said:
"If you are a sport trying to ingratiate yourself to the American public the way Major League Baseball is, because of the problems you've been having in terms of improving the attractiveness of the sport, it helps if you spoke the English language. It doesn't mean anything more than that."
After receiving more criticism following his second statement, Smith posted an apology on Twitter:
The Japanese-born Ohtani has used an interpreter since coming to the United States after signing with the Angels in December 2017.
Ohtani has become arguably MLB's biggest star and face of the sport thanks to his unique two-way skill set and MVP-caliber season through the first half of 2021. He leads MLB with 33 homers and a .698 slugging percentage this season.
The 27-year-old also has a 3.49 ERA with 87 strikeouts in 67 innings through 13 starts.
After being named to the American League All-Star team as a designated hitter and pitcher, Ohtani will start the game on the mound and hit leadoff for his squad Tuesday night during the Midsummer Classic.
Video: Angels' Mike Trout Calls Shohei Ohtani During 2021 MLB Home Run Derby
Jul 13, 2021
American League's Shohei Ohtani, of the Los Angeles Angeles, gives the thumbs up after the first round of the MLB All Star baseball Home Run Derby, Monday, July 12, 2021, in Denver. (AP Photo/Gabriel Christus)
There are far worse hitters to get advice from during a Home Run Derby than Mike Trout.
That is what happened for Los Angeles Angels star Shohei Ohtani during Monday's 2021 Home Run Derby. His teammate called him in the first round as the pitcher and slugger looked tired while competing against Juan Soto:
"I was gassed," Ohtani told reporters when asked what Trout said on the phone call. "I couldn't remember fully. But I think he said, 'Just relax and be yourself.'"
It almost worked, as Ohtani came roaring back after a slow start and forced a tiebreaker against the Washington Nationals slugger. Unfortunately for those hoping to see the Angels star continue in the competition, Soto launched three homers on three swings in the second tiebreaker to advance.
Soto was unable to build on his two-tiebreaker opening-round victory, though, and fell to eventual champion Pete Alonso in the second round.
As for Ohtani, he will start on the mound and lead off as a hitter for the American League during Tuesday's All-Star Game.
Stephen A. Smith Apologizes After Receiving Backlash over Shohei Ohtani Criticism
Jul 12, 2021
Stephen A. Smith attends ESPN: The Party 2017 held on Friday, Feb. 3, 2017, in Houston, Texas. (Photo by John Salangsang/Invision/AP)
ESPN commentator Stephen A. Smith apologized for his criticism of Los Angeles Angels star Shohei Ohtani after posting a video suggesting "people are misinterpreting what I'm saying" when his initial opinion drew so much backlash.
Smith said that he "screwed up" in his apology and is "sincerely sorry for any angst I've caused with my comments" while explaining he "never intended to offend any community, particularly the Asian community—and especially Shohei Ohtani, himself."
The lengthy apology came after he posted a video in which he said, in part, "I'm talking about the marketability and the promotion of the sport ... If you are a sport trying to ingratiate yourself to the American public the way Major League Baseball is because of the problems that you've been having to deal with in terms of improving the attractiveness of the sport, it helps then if you speak the English language. It doesn't mean anything more than that."
Smith also pointed to an "older" audience for baseball compared to basketball and football and called Ohtani "the second coming of Babe Ruth."
He then ended the video by saying, "When you're a superstar, if you can speak the English language, then guess what? That's gonna make it that much easier and less challenging to promote the sport. That's all I was saying about anybody. Later."
The video followed his comments on Monday's episode of First Take in which he said the fact Ohtani, who is from Japan, uses an interpreter rather than speaking to the media in English is actually harmful to Major League Baseball.
"The fact that you got a foreign player that doesn't speak English, believe it or not, I think contributes to harming the game to some degree, when that's your box office appeal," Smith said (h/t Chris Bumbaca of USA Today). "It needs to be somebody like Bryce Harper, Mike Trout, those guys. And unfortunately at this point in time, that's not the case."
Ethan Sands of the Los Angeles Times shared more of the ESPN personality's comments in which Smith said, "I don't think it helps that the No. 1 face is a dude that needs an interpreter so you can understand what the hell he's saying. In this country."
It should be noted that Ohtani gave a speech in English after winning the 2018 American League Rookie of the Year award:
"What an honor it is to share this stage with so many great players."
Smith's comments also come after he recently complained MLB was not doing enough to market the Angels star:
"Baseball has a damn modern day Babe Ruth on their hands and what are they doing about it?"@StephenASmith is mad about the lack of marketing of Shohei Ohtani. pic.twitter.com/nY4sg7iQHx
Despite Smith's opinion, Ohtani has been a dominant force throughout the 2021 MLB season and has inspired Ruthian comparisons because of his ability both at the plate and on the mound. He leads all hitters with 33 home runs and a .698 slugging percentage and has a 1.062 OPS and 70 RBI all while posting a 3.49 ERA, 1.21 WHIP and 87 strikeouts in 67 innings as a pitcher.
He has become must-watch television for baseball fans and will be a major part of this week's All-Star Game festivities.
Ohtani is participating in Monday's Home Run Derby, will be the starting pitcher for the American League in Tuesday's contest and will lead off the game as a designated hitter.
Shohei Ohtani, Max Scherzer Named AL, NL Starting Pitchers for 2021 MLB All-Star Game
Jul 12, 2021
SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - JULY 11: Shohei Ohtani #17 of the Los Angeles Angels looks on from the dugout before the game against the Seattle Mariners at T-Mobile Park on July 11, 2021 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Steph Chambers/Getty Images)
Los Angeles Angels superstar Shohei Ohtani and Washington Nationals ace Max Scherzer have been named the starting pitchers for the American League and National League, respectively, for Tuesday's All-Star Game.
Ohtani was voted by fans as an AL starter at the designated hitter position.
The batting orders for both teams were also announced Monday:
The American League All-Star lineup… Ohtani will serve as both the starting pitcher and DH. pic.twitter.com/Q7N6bKSfz4
Ohtani, 27, has become a mythical figure in his four seasons with the Angels. He leads MLB hitters with 33 home runs this year, is third in baseball with 70 RBI, has posted a 1.062 OPS and is 4-1 on the mound with a 3.49 ERA, 1.21 WHIP and 87 strikeouts in 67 innings.
Shohei Ohtani will be the SECOND Japanese-born pitcher to start an All-Star Game – and first for the AL side.
Hideo Nomo – as a rookie – started the 1995 Midsummer Classic for the NL.
Kevin Cash said Ohtani will be used as two players. He “begged MLB” for the rules so he would t mess it up. Ohtani will stay in the game after he pitches as a position player.
He'll also feature in Monday night's Home Run Derby.
Injuries limited Ohtani to 12 starts in his first three seasons, and he wasn't utilized as a pitcher in the 2019 campaign after undergoing Tommy John surgery in 2018. But he's returned to a dual role and is thriving both on the mound and at the plate in a way baseball arguably hasn't seen since the early days of Babe Ruth's career.
When anything you do evokes the accomplishments of Ruth, you're on a special trajectory.
While the 2018 AL Rookie of the Year will appear in his first All-Star Game, Scherzer is heading to his eighth Midsummer Classic. The three-time Cy Young Award winner is having another fantastic season, going 7-4 with a 2.66 ERA, 0.88 WHIP and 134 strikeouts in 98 innings.
In case you were wondering, Scherzer doesn't have any hits in 30 at-bats this year.
Shohei Ohtani Hasn't Taken Batting Practice This Season, Says Angels Hitting Coach
Jul 8, 2021
ANAHEIM, CA - JULY 02: Los Angeles Angels designated hitter Shohei Ohtani (17) hits a two run home run in the fourth inning of a game against the Baltimore Orioles played on July 2, 2021 at Angel Stadium in Anaheim, CA. (Photo by John Cordes/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Shohei Ohtani's historic first half of the 2021 season will be dissected and debated among baseball fans for years to come, which makes this nugget dropped into ESPN's Baseball Tonight podcast with Buster Olney even more incredible.
The current MLB leader in home runs (32) doesn't take batting practice.
Olney said Los Angeles Angels hitting coach Jeremy Reed told him Ohtani hasn't taken batting practice once in 2021.
"He does a few flip drills, he gets ready and then he just rakes," Olney said. "Against the best pitchers in the world."
The 27-year-old is far from the first star athlete to skip practice, but few players have found as much success at the plate as Ohtani. Through 81 games, he's slashing .279/.364/.700 with 69 RBI and 12 stolen bases.
It's an unfathomable season even before considering his 3.49 ERA over 67 innings pitched.
As the legend of Ohtani grows, don't bother arriving to the ballpark early to see him hit. The slugger saves his swings for the pitches that count.
Angels' Historic All-Star Shohei Ohtani Just Keeps Adding to Year for the Books
Jul 8, 2021
Los Angeles Angels' Shohei Ohtani (17) celebrates in the dugout after scoring off of a home run hit by Max Stassi during the first inning of a baseball game Tuesday, July 6, 2021, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
Whether your preference is to call him the best or merely the most exciting player in Major League Baseball, Shohei Ohtani is having a season worthy of his most oft-mentioned historical comp.
"We all romanticize what it would have been like to watch Babe Ruth play," Los Angeles Angels manager Joe Maddon said Tuesday, according to MLB.com's Rhett Bollinger. "Now we're living it. So don't underestimate what we're seeing."
The high point of Ohtani's 2021 campaign was Sunday, when he became the first player ever selected to an All-Star team as a hitter and a pitcher. As a sort of preemptive celebration, he also launched the second-longest home run of his career that day:
After celebrating his 27th birthday Monday, Ohtani recovered from a disastrous outing in New York on June 30 with a brilliant start at home against the Boston Red Sox on Tuesday. He allowed two runs on five hits and zero walks in seven innings to spearhead a 5-3 win. Back in his customary role at designated hitter, he then homered again on Wednesday.
Ohtani's All-Star hitter credentials are now backed up by a 176 OPS+ and MLB-leading marks in home runs (32) and slugging percentage (.700). As a pitcher, he's rocking a 132 ERA+ and striking out 11.7 batters per nine innings.
Value-wise, that adds up to 5.4 wins above replacement for Baseball Reference. Thus does Ohtani co-lead that department with New York Mets ace Jacob deGrom, and either one of them could secure baseball's first 11-WAR season since Barry Bonds in 2002.
They'll have to stay healthy to chase that feat, and yet it's precisely because Ohtani is healthy that he's doing all this.
He had right ankle and right elbow issues before he even signed with the Angels in December 2017, and he underwent Tommy John surgery in 2018 and left knee surgery in 2019. Then in 2020, a strained forearm limited him to just two pitching appearances. So, when he reported to spring training this year, he did so at full health for perhaps the first time in his major league career.
This alone helps explain why Ohtani is working on his best two-way season since he put up a 1.004 OPS and a 1.86 ERA for the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters in 2016. But for the heck of it, we'll dig into exactly how he's doing it.
Ohtani the Gallo
It was certainly apparent even before 2021 that Ohtani was a gifted slugger. Though he smashed only seven home runs in 44 games amid last year's shortened season, in 2018 and 2019 only five players needed fewer plate appearances to hit 40 homers.
Now, his 32 home runs aren't significant just because they're the most this season.
They're also tied for the eighth-most by a left-handed hitter in the first half of a season. Ohtani also has already broken Hideki Matsui's 17-year-old record for home runs by a Japan-born player.
ANAHEIM, CA - JULY 02: Los Angeles Angels designated hitter Shohei Ohtani (17) hits a two run home run in the fourth inning of a game against the Baltimore Orioles played on July 2, 2021 at Angel Stadium in Anaheim, CA. (Photo by John Cordes/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
If there's a frustrating part to Ohtani's prowess at the plate, it's that he's more of a good hitter than a great hitter. To wit, both his .279 batting average and .364 on-base percentage rank outside the top 30. Among other things, those modest figures trace back to a chase rate in the 42nd percentile and a strikeout rate in the 14th percentile.
But lest anyone mistake this for a suggestion that Ohtani should change his approach, what really matters is where he stands among his peers when he does put the ball in play:
It takes real power to achieve numbers like those, and Ohtani's power is indeed real in the sense that it's both organic and efficient.
Organic, in that his average exit velocity of 93.5 mph is in the 96th percentile. Efficient, in that he's hitting a career-best 38.6 percent of his batted balls in the sweet spot, with a launch angle between 8 and 32 degrees, where the average batted ball goes for a .592 average and 1.094 slugging percentage.
Combined, these two traits have allowed Ohtani to rack up 51 barrels—i.e., batted balls with an ideal combination of launch angle and exit velocity—out of 197 balls in play. That's a rate of 25.9 percent, which is currently the highest for any hitter in the seven-year Statcast era.
Unsurprisingly, the only other left-handed hitter near the top of that list is the Texas Rangers' 6'5", 250-pound slugger, Joey Gallo. At 6'4", 210 pounds, Ohtani probably isn't as powerful as his fellow Home Run Derby contestant. But considering that Gallo can do things like this, it's no small compliment to say that Ohtani is the better power hitter in baseball right now.
Ohtani the Darvish
Though Ohtani was able to right his ship on the mound Tuesday, he didn't do it by overpowering Red Sox hitters. He notched only four strikeouts, the fewest for any start of his in which he pitched at least six innings.
But to hear it from Boston manager Alex Cora, that was less a measure of Ohtani's luck and more so one of his skill. As quoted by Bollinger:
He's a different pitcher than in '18. In '18 when we came here, his stuff was electric. Today, yeah, he threw hard, all that, but he pitched today. You see him out there and he knows what he's doing. It's amazing what he's doing. Unreal.
Ohtani was indeed throwing hard, as his fastball sat at 95.7 mph and got as high as 98.5 mph. But his performance was just as much a showcase for his new cutter (or cutters, as Owen McGrattan of FanGraphs detailed in May), which he threw 19 times and against which Red Sox hitters went 0-for-7.
Along with his fastball, splitter and slider, that cutter is one of four pitches that Ohtani is throwing at least 11 percent of the time in 2021. He also has a curveball that sits in the mid-70s but which he can turn into an eephus when he wants to show hitters a different speed. And, wow, did he ever do that to poor Danny Santana:
Shohei Ohtani, 68mph Curveball and 98mph Fastball (consecutive pitches/Overlay) pic.twitter.com/SlOG0WCi4X
But while all this is another way of saying it's not all about the splitter for Ohtani anymore, it's still mostly about the splitter.
He's busting it out less often this year (18.5 percent) than he did as a rookie in 2018 (22.4 percent), but clearly not because the pitch has lost potency. Just ask Rafael Devers:
Opposing hitters are just 6-for-75 against it with 49 strikeouts. That's an .080 batting average that looks a lot like the pitch's .081 expected batting average.
Among pitches that have ended at least 80 plate appearances in 2021, that mark puts Ohtani in special company:
Tyler Glasnow, curveball: .079 xBA
Shohei Ohtani, splitter: .081 xBA
Carlos Rodon, slider: .092 xBA
Jacob deGrom, slider: .101 xBA
Kevin Gausman, splitter: .134 xBA
Though comparing a Japanese player to other Japanese players can play into a lazy trope, it's frankly hard to watch Ohtani and not see shades of another great Japanese hurler with a hard fastball and a deep repertoire marked by a signature pitch and the occasional eephus curveball: San Diego Padres ace Yu Darvish.
As to whether the two countrymen will match up in the All-Star Game at Coors Field on Tuesday, there seems to be mutual interest. Ohtani said in November he's "eager" to face Darvish, who's hopeful that it will finally happen in the Midsummer Classic.
The Problem with the Babe Ruth Comp
Even if Ohtani's hitting and pitching skills are best compared to those of contemporaries such as Gallo and Darvish, there's no escaping the total package of the one and only Ruth.
However, even the Bambino never had a season like the one Ohtani is having now.
As a pitcher, Ruth peaked with a 158 ERA+ over 323.2 innings in 1916. Though he also hit well that year, it wasn't until 1918 that he began his reign as a game-changing slugger by leading the majors in home runs (11) and slugging (.555) for the first time.
By that season, Ruth's pitching was actually veering toward mediocrity in the form of a 122 ERA+ over 166.1 innings. He was mediocre when he put up only a 102 ERA+ over 133.1 innings in 1919, and after that he made only five more appearances on the mound in his career.
In other words: While Ruth was indeed both a great pitcher and a great hitter, whether he was ever both at the same time is debatable.
As Neil Paine of FiveThirtyEight did, it's more appropriate to compare Ohtani to Negro Leagues legend Bullet Rogan. And while Rogan enjoyed nearly a decade as a two-way star, next year will mark the 100th anniversary of his magnum opus, in which he had a 199 OPS+ as a hitter and a 159 ERA+ as a pitcher for the Kansas City Monarchs.
Of course, there's an extent to which all this is academic. Because whether Ohtani is a modern-day Ruth or a modern-day Rogan, he is unlike any player of the last century.
So, Maddon need not worry that anyone is underestimating what Ohtani is doing. And years from now, we'll romanticize him, too.
Shohei Ohtani Breaks Hideki Matsui's Single-Season HR Record by Japanese-Born Player
Jul 7, 2021
Los Angeles Angels' Shohei Ohtani runs to first as he hits a single during the first inning of a baseball game against the Boston Red Sox Wednesday, July 7, 2021, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
In 2004, Hideki Matsui took 159 games to hit 31 home runs and set the record for most homers by a Japanese player in MLB history.
Seventeen years later, Shohei Ohtani broke that record in just 81 games. The Los Angeles Angels two-way superstar hit his 32nd home run of the season on Wednesday, breaking his tie with Matsui and extending his MLB lead.
Ohtani's blast came in the fifth inning off Boston Red Sox starter Eduardo Rodriguez and gave the Angels a 3-2 lead.
Matsui released a statement Wednesday congratulating Ohtani.
Shohei Ohtani broke Hideki Matsui’s record for homers in a season by a Japanese-born player with 32 and Matsui released a statement: pic.twitter.com/Doe5O9oEfe
What Ohtani has done over the first half of the season is unmatched in MLB history. Along with his 32 home runs and 69 runs batted in, he's put up a 4-1 record with a 3.49 ERA and 1.21 WHIP while striking out 87 batters in 67 innings. It's the type of dream season the Angels hoped for when signing Ohtani, the type some feared he'd never have as he struggled with injuries his first three MLB seasons.
Well, fear no more.
The real Ohtani has arrived, and he's sensational.
Angels' Anthony Rendon Placed on 10-Day IL Because of Hamstring Injury
Jul 7, 2021
Los Angeles Angels' Anthony Rendon (6) runs the bases after hitting a home run during the third inning of a baseball game against the Baltimore Orioles Sunday, July 4, 2021, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
The Los Angeles Angelsannounced that slugger Anthony Rendon has been placed on the 10-day injured list with a left hamstring strain retroactive to Monday. In a corresponding move, the Angels recalled infielder Jack Mayfield from the Triple-A Salt Lake Bees.
Per the Angels' public relations department, Rendon was removed from his team's home game against the Baltimore Orioles on Sunday with the injury. Luis Rengifo replaced him in the lineup and started at third base Monday versus the Boston Red Sox. He'll be back at the hot corner on Tuesday.
Injuries have been an issue for the third baseman throughout the 2021 season. Rendon was placed on the injured list in April with a groin injury and returned to the IL in May with a knee contusion.
The player also missed time with a triceps issue in June, while he started July with the aforementioned hamstring injury.
These problems have seemingly prevented the 31-year-old from getting into a rhythm this season with the Angels.
Rendon has a .240 batting average with six home runs in 58 games to begin 2021.
The one-time All-Star had a quality first season in Los Angeles after signing a seven-year, $245 million deal in 2019. He hit nine home runs during the shortened season, adding a .286 batting average and .915 OPS while earning MVP votes for the fifth time in his career.
With Rendon dealing with another injury, the Angels will have to rely on the other top hitters in the lineup, including Shohei Ohtani and Jared Walsh.
