Los Angeles Angels two-way star Shohei Ohtani was removed from his pitching start — and the game — during Wednesday’s matinee 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.
On the mound, Ohtani is 10-5 with a 3.14 ERA.
–Field Level Media
