Hyped Ohtani singles in debut
OAKLAND, Calif. — Shohei Ohtani got off to a perfect start at the plate.
The two-way newcomer from Japan quickly put aside a rugged spring training, hitting a single in his first real at-bat for the Angels on Thursday before finishing 1for-5 with three groundouts and a strikeout in a 6-5, 11-inning loss to Oakland.
Batting eighth as the designated hitter, Ohtani swung at the first pitch and grounded a hard single to right field off Oakland’s Kendall Graveman in the second inning.
“As a hitter I was never really nervous on Opening Day,” Ohtani said through interpreter Ippei Mizuhara. “That’s kind of the same thing today. I wasn’t too nervous.”
That first ball he hit will go to his parents — mother Kayoko and father Toru — who were in the stands to see it.
“That’s probably an at-bat I’m not going to forget for the rest of my life,” Ohtani said.
Ohtani often looked overmatched in the Cactus League, managing just four singles in 32 at-bats (.125) and striking out 10 times.
The 23-year-old also struggled on the mound in exhibition play and wound up pitching on back fields against minor leaguers. He’ll get his first chance in a game that counts when he starts Sunday against the A’s and said he “probably” will have some jitters for that outing.