Shohei Ohtani did something odd Thursday. He hit a 400-foot single against the Boston Red Sox. Yes, you heard correctly.
Ohtani, who was a starting pitcher and designated hitter Thursday for the Los Angeles Angels, hit a single overplayed by Red Sox outfielder Jackie Bradley Jr. who lost the ball in the sun.
Bradley lost the ball on the warning track as it hit the wall and ricocheted back off his leg. If this was any other ballpark, Ohtani would have had a home run, but not in Fenway. Instead, it turned into a very long single for the two-way player.
Ohtani with a 400 foot single 😅pic.twitter.com/MZ1fmSQakV
— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) May 5, 2022
The bigger question might have been why didn’t this turn into extra bases? Well, because the player in front of Ohtani didn’t tag up right away until he saw where the ball landed. By then, all Ohanti could do was take first base.
Ohtani’s batting average is down this season, he is only hitting .230 with only 4 home runs, 12 RBIs, and unfortunately 29 strikeouts.
SHOHEI AND THE BABE: The last time a starting pitcher batted in one of the top four spots in the order at Fenway Park was Babe Ruth, as the Red Sox cleanup hitter, on Sept. 20, 1919 (Game 1) vs. White Sox. #GoHalos #ShoheiOhtani #OHTANISAN #Angels pic.twitter.com/zbgwZhioNq
— AngelsWin.com (@AngelsWin) May 5, 2022
Last year, Ohtani was a Major League sensation with the bat and the glove, as he pitched and hit his way into America’s heart. This season, he is struggling a bit but eventually, that will change and he will become his old self again. Although, a lot of fans still love the effort.
#Angels Shohei Ohtani is the first starting pitcher to record a hit at Fenway Park since Roger Clemens on May 23, 1996 vs. Seattle.
Clemens' single was the only other hit by a starting pitcher at Fenway in the DH era.
— Angels PR (@LAAngelsPR) May 5, 2022
Sho Close ✅
Shohei Ohtani gets on base on a near home run in the 4th inning against the Red Sox. Ohtani currently has five strikeouts as the Halos' pitcher. 😎
Credit: Ballys#大谷翔平 #Ohtani #Angels #GoHalos pic.twitter.com/66RDwLM7h1— Anaheim Sports (@AnaheimSports1) May 5, 2022
Here’s Ohtani’s second hit at Fenway – the ONLY starting pitcher to get multiple hits at Fenway in the DH era.
Wow. pic.twitter.com/XE2hNMnEKZ
— Jack Wallace (@jackwallacetv) May 5, 2022
Star of the Sho.
Sometimes, you have to shut the laptop, leave the press box, go sit in the stands and just watch the game.
Shohei Ohtani pitching and hitting in the same game is one of those times. Babe Ruth reincarnated. #Ohtani #GoHalos #DirtyWater pic.twitter.com/RmLCv8gbc0
— Gethin Coolbaugh (@GethinCoolbaugh) May 5, 2022
Ohtani just hit a ball that easily could have been a HR or an out. It ended up as a single.
Fenway Park. pic.twitter.com/fqkv50TpWz
— Jeff Fletcher (@JeffFletcherOCR) May 5, 2022
[Ballys]
