Shohei Ohtani (29, Los Angeles Angels), who is considered a “key player” for the Japanese national team in the World Baseball Classic (WBC), raised his senses with two consecutive hits in a major league demonstration game.
On the 28th (Korean time), in the 2023 Major League Baseball exhibition match against the San Francisco Giants held at Diablo Stadium in Tempe, Arizona, USA, Ohtani started as the designated hitter and recorded 1 hit in 2 at-bats.
Ohtani, who hit a triple in his first sortie the previous day against the Chicago White Sox, continued his good feelings in today’s game as well.
He entered his first at-bat with one out and first base in the first inning and hit opposing pitcher Logan Webb with a heavy hit. However, the follow-up hit failed to lead to a goal.
Ohtani struck out Keaton Wynn in his second at-bat in the third inning.
Ohtani did not play any more. The Angels pitched Trey Cabbage as a pinch hitter in the third at-bat in the fifth inning.
Ohtani will start in the match against the Oakland Athletics on March 1st and then move to Japan to join the WBC national team.
In this WBC, he plans to start as a pitcher, and there is a possibility of working as a batsman. The Angels announced that they would allow Ohtani to double as a pitcher.
Meanwhile, Masataka Yoshida (Boston Red Sox), who is making his major league debut this season, started as the first hitter and left fielder in an exhibition game against the Minnesota Twins, but went silent with no hits and two strikeouts in three at-bats. 슬롯사이트
Yoshida went 2-for-1 in the first game, but this day was not up to expectations.
Yoshida, along with Ohtani, will also be selected for the Japanese national team and compete in the WBC.
Lars Nubba (St. Louis Cardinals), a Japanese-American who also represents Japan in the WBC, played as the second hitter in center field in an exhibition game against the New York Mets, hitting a double and recording 1 hit, 1 run and 1 RBI in 3 at-bats.
On the same team as Nutba, Korean major leaguers Tommy Hyeonsu and Edman did not play.