Angels have plan for Ohtani to be team’s Sunday starter
Shohei Sundays are coming to Anaheim.
Angels’ two-way star Shohei Ohtani is planning to start on the mound every Sunday during the shortened 60-day season, a schedule that provides adequate rest and allows manager Joe Maddon to use the Japanese slugger in the field or as a designated hitter. Maddon said he likely would use Ohtani as the designated hitter in Friday games.
Control has been an issue for Ohtani in summer camp. On July 8, he walked eight batters in 50 pitches as he made his return to the mound from elbow surgery.
He allowed one run over five innings with six strikeouts and four walks on Sunday afternoon against the Oakland Athletics. Ohtani was American League Rookie of the Year in 2018 when he was allowed rest days on Saturdays and Mondays. Barring rainouts and rescheduled games, the Angels are scheduled to be off on three Mondays this season.
“It’s been almost two years. I want to be prepared to be in the lineup on Opening Day as a hitter and then hopefully we can win the first two games and get some momentum into the third game, which I think I’m going to start,” Ohtani said.
Ohtani’s last start was on Sept. 2, 2018. He was used exclusively at designated hitter in 2019 (106 games) as he recovered from a torn ligament in his elbow.
The Angels begin the season on Friday at Oakland.
BLUE JAYS TALKING TO PITTSBURGH ABOUT PLAYING AT PNC PARK >> The Toronto Blue Jays are talking to the Pittsburgh Pirates about sharing their major league ballpark this season after Canada’s government barred them from playing in their home stadium amid the coronavirus pandemic.
Pirates president Travis Williams confirmed the talks and sounded ready to welcome the Blue Jays.
“In an effort to help in the return of the game we all love, we continue to have active discussions with Major League Baseball and the Toronto Blue Jays organization regarding the possibility of hosting home games for the Blue Jays at PNC Park this season,” Williams said in a statement Monday.
Blue Jays general manager Ross Atkins said earlier Monday that his team has more than five contingency plans and was in talks with other teams. He declined to name them.
“We are focused on getting into a major league facility,” Atkins said. BRAVES REMOVE ‘CHOP ON’ SIGN, SLOGAN, BUT NO CALL ON CHANT >> The Atlanta Braves have removed a “Chop On” sign that sat near an entrance to Truist Park and are still considering their stance on the fans’ tomahawk chop chant.
The removal of the wooden sign came as the team changed its slogan from “Chop On” to “For The A” for the 2020 season.
The Braves said they would continue to examine the chant after the 2019 season, a process that continues. Since there will be no fans at Braves’ home games for at least the start of the pandemic-delayed 60-game season, the team may feel no urgency to release a new policy on the chant.
Braves fans began chopping and chanting in the early 1990s. The team has encouraged the chant by playing music and distributing the foam tomahawks. FAUCI TO THROW OUT FIRST PITCH >> The country’s top infectious disease expert, Dr. Anthony Fauci, will throw out the ceremonial first pitch at the first game of Major League Baseball’s pandemic-delayed regular season.
The Washington Nationals announced Monday that Fauci — a self-described fan of the reigning World Series champions — accepted the team’s invitation to have the pregame honor Thursday. The Nationals will host the New York Yankees to open the season nearly four months after it originally was scheduled to begin.