Los Angeles Angels two-way star Shohei Ohtani was removed from his pitching start – and the game – during Wednesday’s matinee, August 23, against the Cincinnati Reds with what the team said was arm fatigue.
Ohtani was replaced in the lineup at designated hitter by Nolan Schanuel in the 2-hole.
However, Ohtani returned and was batting second for the nightcap of the day-night doubleheader with the Reds.
Manager Phil Nevin said between games that Ohtani likely needs time to rest his throwing arm given the issue is a recurrence of the same fatigue experienced two weeks prior.
“He told me he didn’t feel any pain. It just doesn’t feel right,” Nevin said. “It was more the same feeling he had two weeks ago returned right after the first inning. That’s all I can really tell you.”
Ohtani hit a two-run home run in the first inning of the day game to get the Angels on the board. He also struck out two batters in a 1-2-3 top of the first. As he worked the second inning, Ohtani stared into the dugout after a 2–2 pitch, and Nevin and the team’s medical staff made a mound visit. Ohtani was taken out of the game having thrown 26 pitches in 1 1/3 innings.
His fastball velocity was noticeably down, averaging 93 mph in the second inning rather than his usual 97 mph.
“Anytime somebody leaves the game in the second inning, you’re worried about an injury,” Nevin said. “We saw the velocity tick up in the first, but in the second it was down. And I noticed the shape of his pitches, which we have information on, just weren’t the same. I saw a look on his face after he threw a pitch and I wanted to go check on him.”
Ohtani’s 44th homer in the first inning against Reds starter Andrew Abbott gave him the major league lead, one ahead of the Atlanta Braves’ Matt Olson.
Elly de La Cruz, Reds Top Angels 9–4 to Open Twin Bill
Elly De La Cruz hit a towering three-run homer, tripled and drove in a career-high six runs to lead the Cincinnati Reds to a 9–4 victory over the Los Angeles Angels in Anaheim, Calif., on Wednesday in the first game of a day-night doubleheader.
The game was overshadowed by the early departure of Angels two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani. The right-hander left in the second inning after just 26 pitches due to arm fatigue.
Ohtani struck out a pair of Reds in a perfect top of the first, then gave the Angels a lead in the bottom half of the inning.
After Luis Rengifo worked a leadoff walk against Cincinnati starter Andrew Abbott, Ohtani belted the first pitch he saw for his major-league-leading 44th home run of the season. The 442-foot rocket to the seats in right center was clocked at 115.7 mph off the bat and put the Angels up 2–0.
With one out and one on in the second, Ohtani threw five pitches to Christian Encarnacion-Strand, including a 94-mph fastball that was fouled off.
Following that pitch, Ohtani briefly shook his right arm and then shook his head, prompting a visit from manager Phil Nevin and the team trainer. Moments later, Ohtani was escorted off the mound. Lefty Tyler Anderson (5–5) took over in relief and suffered the loss.
As was the case Tuesday night, the Reds capitalized on another error from the Angels’ infield in the fifth to put together a three-run rally for the second straight game.
With two outs and a runner on first, McLain hit a routine grounder to short and Andrew Velazquez threw it away. De La Cruz then launched an Anderson fastball over the wall in center for his 11th homer and a 4–3 Cincinnati lead.
Abbott could not get through the fifth as he allowed a single to Rengifo and walked Nolan Schanuel before being pulled for reliever Buck Farmer (4–5). The right-hander earned the win by working out of the two-on, none-out jam and recording two more outs in the sixth.
De La Cruz added a three-run triple and scored on a single by Spencer Steer in a four-run seventh to make it 8–3.
