In case you haven’t been paying attention, Los Angeles Angels pitcher and hitter Shohei Ohtani has been on fire at the plate. And he can pitch as well.
Ohtani was selected to the 2021 MLB All-Star Game, becoming the first player in Major League history to be selected to the All-Star Game as both a hitter and a pitcher. He was selected as a position player by the fan vote, and as a pitcher on Sunday in the team’s announcement.
Shohei Ohtani becomes the first player in MLB history to be named an All-Star as both a position player and a pitcher 💪 pic.twitter.com/7ghmh5gUE5
— Los Angeles Angels (@Angels) July 4, 2021
The All-Star Game will take place on July 13 at Coors Field in Denver, Colorado after Major League Baseball moved the game away from Atlanta, Georgia following outrage from the Left regarding Georgia’s new voter laws.
Kevin Cash — manager of the Tampa Bay Rays — will coach the American League team, and has spoken with Angels manager Joe Maddon about using Ohtani as both a pitcher and a hitter.
“The conclusion is that he will pitch, but how it’s going to happen has not been concluded,” Maddon said. “There’s different ways to do it, obviously. He could start the game or come in game-in-progress.”
Ohtani has been incredible in his fourth MLB season, leading the league in home runs with 31. He’s hitting .276 with 68 RBI’s and 4-1 as a pitcher with a 3.49 era.
“The guy’s going to participate in Home Run Derby, pitch in the game, and hit in the game. That doesn’t happen like, ever,” Angels manager Joe Maddon said. “So this is the one time … even the non-baseball fan can really latch onto this and become interested.”
Logistically, there are ways to use Ohtani as both a pitcher and hitter in the game.
He could start on the mound and be used as a DH, or he could start as the DH and be brought in later in the game as a relief pitcher.
“The conclusion is that he will pitch, but how it’s going to happen has not been concluded,” Maddon said. “There’s different ways to do it, obviously. He could start the game or come in game-in-progress. And how often do you hit him? And don’t forget he’ll be in the Home Run Derby the day before. There’s a lot going on there. But Shohei is into it. It’s not like we’re trying to push him into doing anything. We’re just trying to figure out the best way to do it.”
Ohtani was the starting pitcher for the Angels on Tuesday night, meaning he’ll have a full week’s rest before the All-Star Game.
Ohtani is baseball’s greatest rising star, doing something that has not been seen since Babe Ruth — dropping bombs and throwing gems.
Before Monday night’s game against the Boston Red Sox, 14 of Ohtani’s last 19 hits were home runs
Out of Shohei Ohtani's last 19 hits, 14 have been home runs 🤯 pic.twitter.com/WlbSDQNzU3
— Sporting News (@sportingnews) July 5, 2021
It’s a fantastic opportunity for Major League Baseball to capitalize on Ohtani’s rising star. Whether they are able to is a different story.
Commissioner Rob Manfred has been historically inept at pushing his superstars into the limelight. MLB lacks the pizazz and energy that other sports contain, and coupled with their inability to market their best players, have continued to deal with plummeting attendance numbers.
Ohtani is a reason to tune into the All-Star Game. Hopefully, Manfred can figure out a way to properly market him.
Joe Morgan is the Sports Reporter for The Daily Wire. Most recently, Morgan covered the Clippers, Lakers, and the NBA for Sporting News. Send your sports questions to [email protected].
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Source: Dailywire
