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The Angels are scheduled to open the season at
the Oakland Athletics on March 30.
This is the second straight Opening Day start for Ohtani, the
2021 American League MVP, after a stellar season at both
designated hitter and as a starting pitcher.
He lost a 3-1 game to the Houston Astros on Opening Day in 2022,
giving up one earned run in 4 2/3 innings and 80 pitches. He
rebounded to finish the season 15-9 with a 2.33 ERA in 28
starts. He pitched 166 innings and struck out 219 batters,
finishing fourth in the American League Cy Young voting.
At the plate, he hit .273, with 90 runs, six triples, 34 home
runs and 95 RBIs. He finished second in the MVP voting to Aaron
Judge.
The Angels look to return to the postseason after an eight-year
drought. Ohtani, 28, will be a free agent following the 2023
season, and he never has played in the playoffs. Fellow
superstar Mike Trout has appeared in just three postseason games
in his 12 seasons with the Angels.
"I'm really not thinking about free agency right now," Ohtani
told reporters Thursday from spring training in Tempe, Ariz.
"I've never been a free agent so I don't know what it feels
like. Like I said, I'm focused on the season. I'm not trying to
think too far ahead."
--Field Level Media
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