Ohtani’s great start

13 facts about the Angels’ two-way star

Shohei Ohtani is following a path forged by few others.

The Japanese sensation and Los Angeles Angels twoway star is making history each time he’s penciled in the lineup, either as the starting pitcher or designated hitter.

Last week, Ohtani, 23, became the first major league player to earn a win in one game, then homer in a start as a non-pitcher in his next game since Babe Ruth in 1921.

A look back at eight astonishing days that suggest the hype that preceded Ohtani was very much real.

April 1

❚ Ohtani notches his first major league win, as the Angels prevail 7-4 at the Oakland Athletics. In that game, he retires 14 of the last 15 batters he faces.

❚ Ohtani throws 92 pitches,

63 of them strikes, and tosses first-pitch strikes 14 times in

22 tries, including against eight of the first nine men he faced.

❚ Ohtani induces 18 swings and misses, a total surpassed by Angels starters only three times last season.

❚ He hits 100 mph twice. April 3

❚ Just two days after picking up his first Major League Baseball win on the mound, Ohtani blasts a three-run homer off Indians starter Josh Tomlin in his first plate appearance at Angel Stadium. He finishes 3-for-4 with three RBI and two runs.

❚ He is the first player to earn a win in one game, then homer in a start as a non-pitcher in his next game since Ruth in 1921. Wednesday

❚ Ohtani homers in his second consecutive game — this time off Corey Kluber, the reigning American League Cy Young winner.

❚ He becomes the first Angel to homer in his first two career home games.

Friday

❚ For the third consecutive game, Ohtani blasts a home run, a solo shot in his first atbat off Daniel Gossett of the Athletics.

❚ Ohtani’s homer flew off his bat at 112.4 mph and traveled an estimated 449 feet, according to Statcast. It stands as the hardest-hit and longest home run for the Angels this season. Sunday

❚ In his second start as a pitcher, Ohtani retired the first

19 batters he faces, with 12 strikeouts to beat the Athletics

6-1. He allows one hit over seven innings to improve to 2-0 with a 2.08 ERA.

❚ Ohtani induces 24 pitches for swinging strikes — the highest total accumulated in a start this year. Of the 12 strikeouts, only three are foul balls.

❚ According to Yahoo Sports, the only pitchers who in their first two career starts had a game in which they pitched at least seven innings, allowed one hit or fewer, one walk or fewer and struck out at least 12: Steve Woodard in 1997, Juan Marichal in 1960.