Shohei Ohtani returned to Angel Stadium as a member of the Los Angeles Dodgers for the first time in a regular season game on Tuesday, citing a full circle moment for the generational talent.
The Dodgers won the first of two games in their latest Freeway Series matchup with a 6-2 extra inning victory.
Ohtani was greeted by a subtle tribute prior from the Angels. A mix of cheers and boos met Ohtani in the early portion of the game, but his arrival in this contest came one year to the day when he played his final game with his former team last season.
As gracious as the 30-year-old is on the field, he’s shown the same level of care for his supporters and fans of baseball. The homecoming meant a great deal to Ohtani, something he discussed following Tuesday’s win, per Jack Harris of the L.A. Times:
“Most importantly, it’s about winning the game and I’m glad we won,” Ohtani said through interpreter Will Ireton afterward. “The biggest part of all this is really being able to play in this stadium and in front of these fans. That’s the part that was special for me.”
Ohtani factored into the game in a number of ways, banging a game-tying triple in the third inning, as well as having an overwhelming plate presence. His impact pushed Angels manager Ron Washington to intentionally walk him in favor of facing Mookie Betts, leading to the subsequent go-ahead three-run homer.
Even with the positive result at the end of the game, Ohtani believes there were missed opportunities that left runs on the table. But with the offense showing up in the final frame, a positive takeaway was felt after the four-run victory:
“When you look back at today’s game there were moments when we didn’t come through,” Ohtani said. “But there were times when we were able to capitalize and that’s the way we try to win some games. I think it’s a really good thing for us as a team that we were able to do that tonight.”
Ohtani is playing the most meaningful games of his Major League career at this point in a regular season, also having the best offensive year in his now seventh year. Chasing a historic mark of a 50 home run and 50 stolen base season, he’s approaching a bid at his third career MVP Award.
The Dodgers and Angels have one more matchup in Angel Stadium on Wednesday, the final time Ohtani will face his former team this season.
Looking back at Shohei Ohtani’s time with the Angels
Ohtani played six seasons with the Angels, batting .277/.368/.567 with 159 doubles, 215 home runs, 132 stolen bases and a 153 OPS+. Winner of two MVP Awards, two Silver Sluggers, four All-Star selections, and the Rookie of the Year Award in 2018, he stocked the trophy case.
On the mound, Ohtani showcased his two-way ability, going 38-19 with a 3.01 ERA, 1.08 WHIP 608 strikeouts over 481.2 innings. He finished fourth in Cy Young voting in 2022.
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