It is remarkable enough that Shohei Ohtani is the first front-line starting pitcher in generations to do double duty as an everyday player. But he is not merely filling both roles for the Los Angeles Angels, he is excelling at them. His numbers put him among the best hitters in the game and have been very solid on the pitching side.
His double act has quickly made him a favorite of fans from just about every team. This week he has brought his act to Yankee Stadium, where he homered in a 5-3 win on Monday, homered twice and had three RBIs in an 11-5 loss Tuesday, and is scheduled to start on the mound against Domingo German on Wednesday.
"That definitely sent a message,” manager Joe Maddon told reporters of Ohtani’s Monday home run, which set the tone in the victory. "He’s so easy to speak to during the game. He never gets upset. He never loses focus. He’s able to turn the page to the next one. But yeah, that was just the right way to start his trip to New York, with him hitting a home run.”