MLB rookie exposes Shohei Ohtani weakness with two home runs against Angels star
Pittsburgh Pirates outfielder and No. 1 overall pick of the 2021 MLB Draft Henry Davis hit two solo home runs against Shohei Ohtani, the dual-threat phenom of the Los Angeles Angels, making him the only player to accomplish this feat.
The first home run was pulled to left field, and the second was blasted to right-center over the big wall. The historical game was only his 27th MLB game. The home runs mark the third and fourth in his career and saw him show Ohtani can be taken on.
The Pirates lost to the Angels 8-5 despite Davis' impressive performance. The team has a record of 42-55 for the season, placing them last in the NL Central and 24th out of 30 in the league.
Only six other players have hit multiple home runs against Ohtani, including Matt Chapman, Jarred Kelenic, Nathaniel Lowe, Cedric Mullins, Anthony Santander, and George Springer. However, they have only hit two homers total against Ohtani, never more than one in a game.
Ohtani had his 82nd career MLB start during the game and allowed five runs in 6 1/3 innings. This is the third straight start in which he has allowed five runs, bringing his season ERA to 3.71. However, Ohtani has been dealing with a cracked nail and blister recently, which could be a catalyst for his recent performances.
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Despite his persistent injuries, Ohtani managed to win the game, striking out nine batters and improving his record to 8-5 for the season. The Angels are now on a winning streak, having won four consecutive games, and are back to being two games over .500.
They currently have a record of 50-48 and are eight games behind in the American League West. Regarding the wild card, they are currently 4.0 games away from securing a final spot.
Shohei Ohtani against the Pittsburgh PiratesWith the trade deadline approaching in less than two weeks, the Angels must decide whether or not to trade Ohtani. Every win they secure puts them closer to playoff contention, which would leave them in a better position to keep him.
Trade talks for the two-way superstar and AL MVP have intensified since the beginning of the season. Ohtani is also in the last year of his contract and will be a free agent this offseason, meaning any team who trades for him could be giving way assets for a rental, should he decide not to re-sign with the team.
During the 2017-2018 offseason, the New York Yankees attempted to acquire the Japanese superstar. However, their efforts were unsuccessful as Ohtani preferred to play for a small market team on the west coast according to the Yankees' General Manager, Brian Cashman.
The team is still interested in acquiring Ohtani in case he decides to play on the weast coast. As the season progresses, it remains to be seen whether the Angels will perform well enough to retain Ohtani beyond the August 1 trade deadline.
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