Los Angeles Angels star Shohei Ohtani, the frontrunner for the AL MVP award, will not pitch again this season, manager Joe Maddon told reporters earlier this week. Ohtani will continue to DH, however. The Angels currently list TBA as their starter for Sunday’s regular season finale, which is Ohtani’s spot. With the team already eliminated from postseason contention, there’s no need to push him.
Here’s what Maddon told reporters, via ESPN’s Alden Gonzalez:
“There’s really nothing left to prove on the mound,” Maddon said from Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas, before the Angels’ 7-2 win over the Rangers. “He’s exceeded expectations on the mound this year. Anyone who thought he would’ve gone 130 innings and put up those kind of numbers — strikeouts to walks, ERA, everything that he’s done — I think that’s sufficient. I really do.”
Ohtani will finish the season with a 3.18 ERA and 156 strikeouts in 23 starts and 130 1/3 innings as a pitcher. He allowed two runs or fewer in 17 of those 23 starts and finished strong, holding the Athletics and Mariners to three runs in 15 innings in his last two starts. Ohtani ranks seventh among American League pitchers with 4.1 WAR.
The decision to not start Ohtani on Sunday is sensible (there is no upside at all for the Angels) and it could have an impact on the postseason race. The Angels close their season against the Mariners, who come into Thursday only a half-game behind the second wild-card spot. If Seattle is still alive Sunday, they won’t face Ohtani, and will instead face a lesser pitcher.
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At the plate, Ohtani owns a .258/.370/.590 batting line with 45 home runs. He’s also stolen 26 bases and leads the league with seven triples. Ohtani leads all players with 8.9 WAR. He is more than a full win ahead of second place Zack Wheeler (7.7 WAR) and nearly two wins ahead of Marcus Semien (7.2 WAR), who is in second place in the American League.
The Angels are 75-83 with four games remaining. They have not finished with a winning record since 2015 or qualified for the postseason since 2014. Ohtani recently made it clear he wants to win and is disappointed with the team’s season.
