Ohtani on another planet

Detroit -- Shohei Ohtani continues to show why he is the best two-way player in baseball since Babe Ruth (or Bullet Rogan depending on who you ask.)

The Japanese phenom homered twice in the second game of a doubleheader against the Detroit Tigers. This was mere hours after pitching a one-hitter shutout, his first ever, against the Tigers in Game One, as Los Angeles beat Detroit 11-4 to sweep the three-game series.

Even if his bat was lacking throughout the series, his two-way abilities were on full display, showcasing how talented of a player he truly is.

Angels’ manager Phil Nevin seemed to share these thoughts.

“Like I have said before many times, this is something I have never seen at any level,” said Nevin. “With what he did in the first game with the complete game and two homers in the second game.”

Ohtani became the first player in MLB history to score a home run in one game of a doubleheader and throw a complete game in the other.

This was the energy the Angels brought into Game Two, ready to sweep the series as they look to strengthen their playoff contention status in the second half of the season.

Angels center-fielder Mickey Moniak got the bats going early against the Tiger’s Matt Manning. Moniak ripped a double to left center field, his third of the series, while also extending his hitting streak to 17 games.

In the second inning, a Luis Rengifo triple,, drove in two runners. Former first-round pick Zach Neto added an RBI single to make it 3-0.

Ohtani then blasted his first homer, a two-run shot. 5-0 Angels to end the top of the second inning.

In the bottom of the third, Detroit got two runs back off of hits from Spencer Torkelson and Kerry Carpenter.

Eduardo Escobar hit his first home run as an Angel to open the fourth inning as he hooked a solo shot just inside the foul pole in right field.

Three batters later, Shohei Ohtani hit his second home run of the game, a solo rocket to center field, 435 feet, exit velocity 116 mph. Ohtani leads the MLB in home runs with 38.

In a scary moment for Angels fans, Ohtani left the game after his solo shot in the fourth, visibly in pain as he rounded the bases for his 38^th HR of the season.

Phil Nevin didn’t seem too worried.

“[Ohtani] just cramped up. There was a lot of volume for him today,” said Nevin. “He’s fine. We’ll get some fluids in him and he’ll be fine. It was body cramps. Let’s just call it that.”

He was replaced by Michael Stefanic, who pinch-hit for Ohtani’s final at bat.

The cramping is understandable, as just hours before, the MVP frontrunner pitched for nine innings with eight strikeouts in Game One, allowing just one hit and picking up the win as the Angels rolled over the Tigers 6-0 in the doubleheader opener.

Tigers starter Matt Manning gave his perspective as a big-league pitcher facing a generational player.

“Guy has 40 homers for a reason. He probably had the greatest day of baseball that anyone has ever seen today,” said Manning. “It was incredible.”

Angels’ left-handed pitcher Patrick Sandoval took the win in Game Two. He allowed two runs across five innings, while Manning took the loss, allowing seven runs across five innings.

Hunter Renfroe added a homer in the sixth, one of his six hits in the doubleheader. This, along with a trio of runs in the ninth, sealed the Tiger’s fate.

Ohtani, who will be a free agent after the season, is surely the only thing on the Angels front office mind, on top of making the postseason. But retaining possibly the greatest player in baseball in a century may have an edge in terms of urgency for management.

Angels’ fans will be happy to know their superstar seems more focused on the game than free agency. Shohei Ohtani said this through his interpreter Ippei Mizuhara:

“From the beginning, my plan was to finish strong this season with the Angels,” said Othani. But all the people talking about the trades, that's going to be all gone. So, I feel like I'm just focused on taking this team to the playoffs.”

Following the season, however, free agency becomes inevitable. Many, if not all, of the top teams in the league will be competing to sign Ohtani.

For now, Angels fans will need to cherish every performance they can from “Shotime.” After all, if you look around the league, offensively and defensively, nobody is doing it like Shohei.

Edit this block to edit the article content or add new blocks...