The baseball world is abuzz with Shohei Ohtani hype. But David Ortiz wants to see for himself.
The Boston Red Sox get their first look at the Los Angeles Angels’ two-way phenom Tuesday night, as Ohtani will start on the mound in the teams’ series opener at Angel Stadium opposite David Price. The 23-year-old has been brilliant as a pitcher, allowing just three earned runs over his first two starts while striking out 18 batters in 13 combined innings.
Ortiz wants to see how Ohtani fares against stiffer competition, though.
The Red Sox legend does have reason to be skeptical. Both of Ohtani’s starts have come against the Oakland Athletics, who currently sit fourth in the American League West and don’t exactly boast a fearsome lineup. Meanwhile, Boston’s dangerous offense has produced 5.93 runs per game, tied for second in the majors this season behind only the Angels.
Of course, that only makes Tuesday night’s game more exciting to watch: Ohtani’s unique brilliance against the Red Sox’s potent lineup with the best record in Major League Baseball on the line.
At least we know who Ortiz will be rooting for.
