Los Angeles Angels’ Shohei Ohtani makes MLB history on opening night of the 2022 Regular Season
Though the Angels couldn’t get the win, Ohtani was in ruthless form on a night that he made MLB history.
The Japanese sensation got off and running on the opening day of the MLB season like he’d never had a break.
Shohei Ohtani makes MLB history
With Major League Baseball back after a confusing offseason, which saw a 99-day owner-imposed lockout that threatened the season itself and actually delayed Opening Day by a week, Thursday night finally saw this year’s campaign get off and running. There were seven games in total on the first day, but one in particular saw a bit of history made by the Los Angeles Angels’ Shohei Ohtani. Indeed, it was quite early on the Angels game against the Houston Astros on Thursday night when their two-way superstar made MLB history as he became both the franchise’s starting pitcher in their opener as well as their lead off hitter. If it seems to you like you often hear about the reigning MVP making history, that’s because quite frankly, you do. During his excellent run in 2021, he was simply a cut above the rest from both the mound as the Angels’ starting pitcher and the plate as their primary DH.
Ohtani and the Angels struggled
Though the element of history being made was a nice moment, it was clear that Ohtani was more focused on the business at hand from the outset, as he worked just short of five innings. In that time he struck out nine against one walk and one run allowed. On the night he frequently registered triple digits with his fastball reminding those in attendance just how consistent he can be. Though he would later be removed as the starting pitcher, Ohtani did of course remain in the game as the Angels’ DH thanks to the freshly implemented “Ohtani rule.” That being said, it wasn’t a success story in the end as he actually went 0 for 4 at the plate.
Astros’ Framber Valdez had his say
If you’re were wondering just what happened to Shohei Ohtani on a night that he made history, the answer is simple, Houston Astros’ left handed pitched Framber Valdez. Indeed, Valdez put in the best performance of any Opening Day starter. Across the almost seven innings that he pitched, Valdez allowed just two hits, and struck six against one walk. So ruthless was his night that at one stage, Valdez sent 15 consecutive Angels back into the dugout while recording 11 ground outs on the night. In the end Alex Bregman and Yordan Alvarez both contributed with home runs as the Astros got the win by a score of 3-1.