Major League Baseball had more than a few great Japanese-born players over the years. However, Los Angeles Dodgers’ two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani once again showed that he is the best of the bunch.

During Sunday’s 10-0 win over the New York Mets, Ohtani hit his 176th career homer, marking the record for most home runs in MLB by a Japanese-born player. He eclipsed former New York Yankees outfielder Hideki Matsui, who notched 175 homers during his 10 years in the league.

Ohtani previously tied Matsui on April 13th but needed seven more games before taking sole possession of the record.

“I’m relieved and happy,” Ohtani said through an interpreter about the feat. “I took a while to get this point since my last homer, so just honestly, happy, relieved.”

Ohtani spent the first six years of his MLB career with the Los Angeles Angels before signing with the Dodgers on a record 10-year, $700 million deal this offseason. Throughout the first 24 games of the 2024 campaign, Ohtani is batting career-high .368 and has five homers with 13 RBIs.

Unlike previous seasons, when he served as a designated hitter and pitcher, Ohtani is focusing only on batting this year. He underwent elbow surgery during the offseason and isn’t expected to return to mount until 2025.

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Two-way phenom Shohei Ohtani has finally decided on his next MLB team. The two-time unanimous NL MVP has agreed to a 10-year, $700 million deal with the Los Angeles Dodgers.

The deal Ohtani signs represents the richest in MLB history. It shatters the previous record of $426.5 million in guaranteed money that Mike Trout received from the Los Angeles Angels in 2019 and the record for the highest annual average of $43.3 million that Max Scherzer got on his three-year deal with the New York Mets in 2022.

Dodgers still haven’t officially announced the news, but Ohtani confirmed the move in an Instagram post shared on Saturday.

“To all the fans and everyone involved in the baseball world, I apologize for taking so long to come to a decision. I have decided to choose the Dodgers as my next team,” Ohtani wrote in a caption while posting a photo of the Dodgers’ logo.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Shohei Ohtani | 大谷翔平 (@shoheiohtani)

Shohei Ohtani is coming off a season in which he batted .304, which is his career-best in MLB while hitting 44 homers and adding 95 RBIs. He also had a 10-5 record and posted a 3.14 ERA in 23 starts as a pitcher. He was unanimously voted NL MVP, becoming the first player in MLB history to receive the MVP honor in that manner twice.

Ohtani’s 2023 season on the mound ended prematurely as he was forced to be shut down due to a right elbow injury. He underwent a Tommy John surgery, his second on the same elbow, in September and will not be ready to return to pitching until 2025. However, he is expected to be able to serve as the designated hitter from the Opening Day of the 2024 campaign.

While Ohtani was predicted to be the first $500 million player in MLB history, most analysts believe that teams will vary in signing him to such a significant deal due to his elbow surgery. But that obviously didn’t stop the Dodgers from surpassing even the most outrageous predictions and completely resetting the market for free agents.

Ohtani spent his first six seasons in MLB with the Los Angeles Angels. The 29-year-old player reportedly considered a return to the Angels but was won over by the Dodgers’ huge offer and their ability to consistently make the postseason, something he has never experienced so far in his career in the majors.

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The Los Angeles Angels left-handed hitter Shohei Ohtani has been named the MLB’s best-designated hitter for a third consecutive season. He joins David Ortiz as the only two players to win the Edgar Martinez Outstanding Designated Hitter Award three times in a row.

Ohtani hit .304 with an AL-high 44 homers, 96 RBIs, eight triples, and 20 stolen bases, all while ending his season early on September 3 due to suffering an oblique injury. He tore the ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow on August 23, at which point he was 10-5 with a 3.14 ERA in 23 starts, striking out 167 and walking 55 in 132 innings.

The Japanese DH beat the likes of Atlanta’s Marcell Ozuna, Houston’s Yordan Alvarez, Philadelphia’s Bryce Harper, and the Los Angeles Dodgers’ J.D. Martinez, winning by way of voting by broadcasters, writers, and public relations departments. Beyond his DH award, Ohtani was also the first player to become a two-time unanimous MVP, winning in 2021 and this year. He became a free agent after the World Series.

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The brilliance that Los Angeles Angels’ Shohei Ohtani and Atlanta Braves’ Ronald Acuna Jr. showed in the 2023 MLB campaign has been recognized in an unprecedented way. Both players won the MVP honors in their respective leagues by unanimous vote, something that never happened in the history of the award.

Ohtani captured his second AL MVP award and became the first MVP winner in the history of MBL to do it unanimously twice. Texas Rangers’ duo Corey Seager and Marcus Semien finished second and third in the voting, respectively.

Ohtani, who is a free agent this offseason, batted .304 with an AL-leading 44 home runs and 20 stolen bases in 135 games. The two-way phenom also made 23 starts as a pitcher, posting a 10-5 record with a 3.14 ERA and 167 strikeouts.

Acuna Jr., on the other hand, had a historic season that saw him hit 41 homers and get 73 stolen bases. This made him the only player in league history to have more than 40 home runs and 46 stolen bases in a single season. He also had a batting average of .337, which was second-best in the entire MLB behind Miami Marlins’ Luis Arraez.

The Los Angeles Dodgers’ Mookie Bets finished second in NL MVP voting, receiving all 30 second-place votes, while his teammate Freddie Freeman finished third.

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Two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani had surgery in order to address the UCL tear in his right elbow. The news was announced by Ohtani’s agent Nez Balelo.

Ohtani suffered the UCL tear in late August and was later ruled out as a pitcher for the remainder of the campaign. The 29-year-old player intended to postpone any procedure in order to finish the season as a hitter, but an oblique strain ended up putting an end to his campaign on the plate as well. This likely prompted Ohtani to have the surgery on his elbow sooner rather than later.

 According to Balelo, Ohtani has every intention to return in time to play on the Opening Day of the 2024 MLB season as a designated hitter. He also plans to continue being a two-way player, eyeing a return to the mound in 2025.

It isn’t clear whether Ohtani will make his return to baseball with the Los Angeles Angels. He will become a free agent in the 2023 season and is expected to attract record-breaking offers from other teams.

Ohtani later confirmed the procedure himself via post on social media.

“I had a procedure done on my elbow earlier this morning, and everything went very well. Thank you very much for everyone’s prayers and kind words,” Ohtani wrote on Instagram. “It was very unfortunate that I couldn’t finish out the year on the field, but I will be rooting on the boys until the end.”

Before being shut for the season, Ohtani batted .304 with 44 home runs and 96 RBI. He had a 10-5 record as a pitcher with a 3.14 ERA and 167 strikeouts.

The post Shohei Ohtani Undergoes Elbow Surgery, Plans to Return as a Hitter in 2024 appeared first on SportzBonanza.

The Los Angeles Angels slim chances of making the playoffs this season have become even slimmer. Their two-way phenom Shohei Ohtani is dealing with an elbow injury and won’t pitch again in 2023.

Ohtani made his last start on Wednesday when he was forced to exit the game against the Cincinnati Reds after throwing just 26 pitches. He underwent an MRI later that day, and the test revealed an ulnar collateral ligament tear in his right elbow.

Ohtani is expected to seek further opinions on his injury before deciding on his next step. There is a possibility he’ll need a Tommy John surgery, which would be his second since coming to MLB. The former AL MVP underwent the same procedure in 2018 and returned to pitching in 2020 while playing as a designated hitter in the meantime.

“As far as plans and details, I don’t have those yet,” said general manager Perry Minasian at a press conference. “I’ve been in contact with his representation. Obviously he hit the second game. He’s played with this, in ’18, but with that being said we’ll take it day by day and see where it goes. Obviously disappointing news. I feel terrible for him. But it is what it is. If anybody can bounce back, it’s him.”

The injury comes at a crucial period in Shohei Ohtani’s career as he will become a free agent at the end of the season. The Angels decided against trading him in hopes of signing him to a long-term extension but will likely face tough competition. Ohtani is not only expected to receive the most lucrative contract in baseball history but also wants to play for a winning organization, something that the Angels haven’t been for a long time.

The post Angels’ Shohei Ohtani Won’t Pitch Again in 2023 appeared first on SportzBonanza.

A significant number of MLB teams are preparing for the moment when the Los Angeles Angels start taking trade calls for their two-way star Shohei Ohtani. But if we are to judge by comments recently made by Angels’ general manager Perry Minasian, that moment is not coming.

Ohtani, one of the best players in baseball in recent years, is currently in the final year of his contract. He refused extension offers from the Angels in the past and wants to see what the free agency will look like. This means that LA will face tough competition to re-sign Ohtani and might lose him for just a compensatory pick.

This situation made most of MLB think that the Angels would move Ohtani before the trade deadline in order to get at least something for their star player. However, when asked about it earlier this week, Minasian strongly implied this isn’t an option, especially with the team playing well this season.

“I think anybody that’s watched us play and where we’re at in the standings … I think it’s pretty self-explanatory with where we’re at,” Minasian told the reporters.

The Angels find themselves in an unfamiliar place, having a winning record (41-35) with almost half a season gone and sitting in second place in AL West. The team hasn’t made the playoffs in the past eight-year.

 Ohtani’s made a big contribution to the Angels’ good start of the season, batting .295 with 24 home runs and 58 RBIs. He is also doing great on the mound, having a 6-2 record as a starter with a 3.29 ERA and 105 strikeouts in 14 games.

The post Angels Won’t Move Star Shohei Ohtani According to GM Perry Minasian appeared first on SportzBonanza.

Forbes reported on Monday that Los Angeles Angels designated hitter Shohei Ohtani is set to earn $65 million for the 2023 season; a new MLB all-time record. This income, which includes endorsements as well as the one-year, $30 million contract extension signed in October, is set to be the biggest in the history of baseball at large.

Ohtani is expected to earn $35 million from endorsements, up from $20 million in 2022 and $6 million in 2021. Forbes showed a substantial gap between Ohtani’s endorsement earnings and those of his peers. Second on the list was Yankees slugger and 2022 American League MVP Aaron Judge, with $4.5 million in endorsements, followed by Ohtani’s teammate, three-time AL MVP Mike Trout with $4 million in endorsements.

Set to become a free agent at the end of this season, Ohtani is also expected to land one of the most expensive contracts in baseball history. He most recently helped Japan to lift the World Baseball Classic title last week.

The post Shohei Ohtani Set to Make Record $65 Million in 2023 appeared first on SportzBonanza.

Japan won its third World Baseball Classic title on Tuesday night by beating Team USA in a 3-2 finals thriller. The showdown was decided by the clash of Los Angeles Angels’ teammates Shohei Ohtani and Mike Trout in the ninth inning, which saw Japan’s two-way star striking out the three-time AL MVP.

Ohtani and Trout facing each other when the stakes were highest will go down as the most memorable moment of the 2023 edition of the WBC. It was the first time that fans got to see two of the biggest baseball stars playing on opposite sides and possibly the last ones.

“This is the best moment in my life,” said Ohtani after the game. “I’ve seen Japan winning and just wanted to be part of it. I really appreciate that I was able to have this great experience.”

Ohtani claimed the MVP of the tournament honors thanks to his contribution on both the mound and at the plate. He pitched 1.86 ERA and 11 strikeouts while batting .435 with a home run and four doubles.

Japan, who was undefeated at the 2023 WBC, remains the most decorated nation in tournament history, having also won the first two editions in 2006 and 2010. The United States remains one-time champions, with Team USA winning it all in 2017.

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The Los Angeles Angels two-way star Shohei Ohtani continued with a stellar performance at this year’s World Baseball Classic. Pitching for Japan on Thursday, Ohtani struck out five batters and allowed just two runs allowed to help his country to a dominant 9-3 win.

The audience at the Tokyo Dome also witnessed Ohtani throwing his fastest pitch since he came to MLB in 2018. The 28-year-old threw a 102-mph heater in the second inning to strike out Vinnie Pasquantino. His previous high was clocked at 101.4 mph in September against the Houston Astros.

By beating Italy, Japan has secured a spot in the WBC semifinals for their fifth straight time. They are now the only country in the history of the competition to do so.

Ohtani is serving in a dual role for Japan at WBC in the same way he has been doing for the Angels. He is batting .438 and has one home run with eight RBIs. On the mound, he has a 2.08 ERA with 10 strikeouts.

Japan is set to play either Mexico or Puerto Rico in the semis, with Ohtani just serving as a hitter. The 2021 AL MVP will have a chance to pitch again if his team manages to get to the finals. Japan made the WBC finals twice, in 2006 and 2009, and won both times. 

The post Shohei Ohtani Delivers 102-mph Pitch Against Italy, Leads Japan to WBC Semis appeared first on SportzBonanza.

Major League Baseball had more than a few great Japanese-born players over the years. However, Los Angeles Dodgers’ two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani once again showed that he is the best of the bunch.

During Sunday’s 10-0 win over the New York Mets, Ohtani hit his 176th career homer, marking the record for most home runs in MLB by a Japanese-born player. He eclipsed former New York Yankees outfielder Hideki Matsui, who notched 175 homers during his 10 years in the league.

Ohtani previously tied Matsui on April 13th but needed seven more games before taking sole possession of the record.

“I’m relieved and happy,” Ohtani said through an interpreter about the feat. “I took a while to get this point since my last homer, so just honestly, happy, relieved.”

Ohtani spent the first six years of his MLB career with the Los Angeles Angels before signing with the Dodgers on a record 10-year, $700 million deal this offseason. Throughout the first 24 games of the 2024 campaign, Ohtani is batting career-high .368 and has five homers with 13 RBIs.

Unlike previous seasons, when he served as a designated hitter and pitcher, Ohtani is focusing only on batting this year. He underwent elbow surgery during the offseason and isn’t expected to return to mount until 2025.

The post Shohei Ohtani Sets the Record for Most Home Runs in MLB by Japanese-Born Player appeared first on SportzBonanza.

Two-way phenom Shohei Ohtani has finally decided on his next MLB team. The two-time unanimous NL MVP has agreed to a 10-year, $700 million deal with the Los Angeles Dodgers.

The deal Ohtani signs represents the richest in MLB history. It shatters the previous record of $426.5 million in guaranteed money that Mike Trout received from the Los Angeles Angels in 2019 and the record for the highest annual average of $43.3 million that Max Scherzer got on his three-year deal with the New York Mets in 2022.

Dodgers still haven’t officially announced the news, but Ohtani confirmed the move in an Instagram post shared on Saturday.

“To all the fans and everyone involved in the baseball world, I apologize for taking so long to come to a decision. I have decided to choose the Dodgers as my next team,” Ohtani wrote in a caption while posting a photo of the Dodgers’ logo.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Shohei Ohtani | 大谷翔平 (@shoheiohtani)

Shohei Ohtani is coming off a season in which he batted .304, which is his career-best in MLB while hitting 44 homers and adding 95 RBIs. He also had a 10-5 record and posted a 3.14 ERA in 23 starts as a pitcher. He was unanimously voted NL MVP, becoming the first player in MLB history to receive the MVP honor in that manner twice.

Ohtani’s 2023 season on the mound ended prematurely as he was forced to be shut down due to a right elbow injury. He underwent a Tommy John surgery, his second on the same elbow, in September and will not be ready to return to pitching until 2025. However, he is expected to be able to serve as the designated hitter from the Opening Day of the 2024 campaign.

While Ohtani was predicted to be the first $500 million player in MLB history, most analysts believe that teams will vary in signing him to such a significant deal due to his elbow surgery. But that obviously didn’t stop the Dodgers from surpassing even the most outrageous predictions and completely resetting the market for free agents.

Ohtani spent his first six seasons in MLB with the Los Angeles Angels. The 29-year-old player reportedly considered a return to the Angels but was won over by the Dodgers’ huge offer and their ability to consistently make the postseason, something he has never experienced so far in his career in the majors.

The post Shohei Ohtani Agrees to a 10-Year, $700 Million Contract With LA Dodgers appeared first on SportzBonanza.

The Los Angeles Angels left-handed hitter Shohei Ohtani has been named the MLB’s best-designated hitter for a third consecutive season. He joins David Ortiz as the only two players to win the Edgar Martinez Outstanding Designated Hitter Award three times in a row.

Ohtani hit .304 with an AL-high 44 homers, 96 RBIs, eight triples, and 20 stolen bases, all while ending his season early on September 3 due to suffering an oblique injury. He tore the ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow on August 23, at which point he was 10-5 with a 3.14 ERA in 23 starts, striking out 167 and walking 55 in 132 innings.

The Japanese DH beat the likes of Atlanta’s Marcell Ozuna, Houston’s Yordan Alvarez, Philadelphia’s Bryce Harper, and the Los Angeles Dodgers’ J.D. Martinez, winning by way of voting by broadcasters, writers, and public relations departments. Beyond his DH award, Ohtani was also the first player to become a two-time unanimous MVP, winning in 2021 and this year. He became a free agent after the World Series.

The post Shohei Ohtani Named MLB’s Top DH for Third Straight Year appeared first on SportzBonanza.

The brilliance that Los Angeles Angels’ Shohei Ohtani and Atlanta Braves’ Ronald Acuna Jr. showed in the 2023 MLB campaign has been recognized in an unprecedented way. Both players won the MVP honors in their respective leagues by unanimous vote, something that never happened in the history of the award.

Ohtani captured his second AL MVP award and became the first MVP winner in the history of MBL to do it unanimously twice. Texas Rangers’ duo Corey Seager and Marcus Semien finished second and third in the voting, respectively.

Ohtani, who is a free agent this offseason, batted .304 with an AL-leading 44 home runs and 20 stolen bases in 135 games. The two-way phenom also made 23 starts as a pitcher, posting a 10-5 record with a 3.14 ERA and 167 strikeouts.

Acuna Jr., on the other hand, had a historic season that saw him hit 41 homers and get 73 stolen bases. This made him the only player in league history to have more than 40 home runs and 46 stolen bases in a single season. He also had a batting average of .337, which was second-best in the entire MLB behind Miami Marlins’ Luis Arraez.

The Los Angeles Dodgers’ Mookie Bets finished second in NL MVP voting, receiving all 30 second-place votes, while his teammate Freddie Freeman finished third.

The post Angels’ Shohei Ohtani and Braves’ Ronald Acuna Jr. Win Unanimous MVP Honors appeared first on SportzBonanza.

Two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani had surgery in order to address the UCL tear in his right elbow. The news was announced by Ohtani’s agent Nez Balelo.

Ohtani suffered the UCL tear in late August and was later ruled out as a pitcher for the remainder of the campaign. The 29-year-old player intended to postpone any procedure in order to finish the season as a hitter, but an oblique strain ended up putting an end to his campaign on the plate as well. This likely prompted Ohtani to have the surgery on his elbow sooner rather than later.

 According to Balelo, Ohtani has every intention to return in time to play on the Opening Day of the 2024 MLB season as a designated hitter. He also plans to continue being a two-way player, eyeing a return to the mound in 2025.

It isn’t clear whether Ohtani will make his return to baseball with the Los Angeles Angels. He will become a free agent in the 2023 season and is expected to attract record-breaking offers from other teams.

Ohtani later confirmed the procedure himself via post on social media.

“I had a procedure done on my elbow earlier this morning, and everything went very well. Thank you very much for everyone’s prayers and kind words,” Ohtani wrote on Instagram. “It was very unfortunate that I couldn’t finish out the year on the field, but I will be rooting on the boys until the end.”

Before being shut for the season, Ohtani batted .304 with 44 home runs and 96 RBI. He had a 10-5 record as a pitcher with a 3.14 ERA and 167 strikeouts.

The post Shohei Ohtani Undergoes Elbow Surgery, Plans to Return as a Hitter in 2024 appeared first on SportzBonanza.

The Los Angeles Angels slim chances of making the playoffs this season have become even slimmer. Their two-way phenom Shohei Ohtani is dealing with an elbow injury and won’t pitch again in 2023.

Ohtani made his last start on Wednesday when he was forced to exit the game against the Cincinnati Reds after throwing just 26 pitches. He underwent an MRI later that day, and the test revealed an ulnar collateral ligament tear in his right elbow.

Ohtani is expected to seek further opinions on his injury before deciding on his next step. There is a possibility he’ll need a Tommy John surgery, which would be his second since coming to MLB. The former AL MVP underwent the same procedure in 2018 and returned to pitching in 2020 while playing as a designated hitter in the meantime.

“As far as plans and details, I don’t have those yet,” said general manager Perry Minasian at a press conference. “I’ve been in contact with his representation. Obviously he hit the second game. He’s played with this, in ’18, but with that being said we’ll take it day by day and see where it goes. Obviously disappointing news. I feel terrible for him. But it is what it is. If anybody can bounce back, it’s him.”

The injury comes at a crucial period in Shohei Ohtani’s career as he will become a free agent at the end of the season. The Angels decided against trading him in hopes of signing him to a long-term extension but will likely face tough competition. Ohtani is not only expected to receive the most lucrative contract in baseball history but also wants to play for a winning organization, something that the Angels haven’t been for a long time.

The post Angels’ Shohei Ohtani Won’t Pitch Again in 2023 appeared first on SportzBonanza.

A significant number of MLB teams are preparing for the moment when the Los Angeles Angels start taking trade calls for their two-way star Shohei Ohtani. But if we are to judge by comments recently made by Angels’ general manager Perry Minasian, that moment is not coming.

Ohtani, one of the best players in baseball in recent years, is currently in the final year of his contract. He refused extension offers from the Angels in the past and wants to see what the free agency will look like. This means that LA will face tough competition to re-sign Ohtani and might lose him for just a compensatory pick.

This situation made most of MLB think that the Angels would move Ohtani before the trade deadline in order to get at least something for their star player. However, when asked about it earlier this week, Minasian strongly implied this isn’t an option, especially with the team playing well this season.

“I think anybody that’s watched us play and where we’re at in the standings … I think it’s pretty self-explanatory with where we’re at,” Minasian told the reporters.

The Angels find themselves in an unfamiliar place, having a winning record (41-35) with almost half a season gone and sitting in second place in AL West. The team hasn’t made the playoffs in the past eight-year.

 Ohtani’s made a big contribution to the Angels’ good start of the season, batting .295 with 24 home runs and 58 RBIs. He is also doing great on the mound, having a 6-2 record as a starter with a 3.29 ERA and 105 strikeouts in 14 games.

The post Angels Won’t Move Star Shohei Ohtani According to GM Perry Minasian appeared first on SportzBonanza.

Forbes reported on Monday that Los Angeles Angels designated hitter Shohei Ohtani is set to earn $65 million for the 2023 season; a new MLB all-time record. This income, which includes endorsements as well as the one-year, $30 million contract extension signed in October, is set to be the biggest in the history of baseball at large.

Ohtani is expected to earn $35 million from endorsements, up from $20 million in 2022 and $6 million in 2021. Forbes showed a substantial gap between Ohtani’s endorsement earnings and those of his peers. Second on the list was Yankees slugger and 2022 American League MVP Aaron Judge, with $4.5 million in endorsements, followed by Ohtani’s teammate, three-time AL MVP Mike Trout with $4 million in endorsements.

Set to become a free agent at the end of this season, Ohtani is also expected to land one of the most expensive contracts in baseball history. He most recently helped Japan to lift the World Baseball Classic title last week.

The post Shohei Ohtani Set to Make Record $65 Million in 2023 appeared first on SportzBonanza.

Japan won its third World Baseball Classic title on Tuesday night by beating Team USA in a 3-2 finals thriller. The showdown was decided by the clash of Los Angeles Angels’ teammates Shohei Ohtani and Mike Trout in the ninth inning, which saw Japan’s two-way star striking out the three-time AL MVP.

Ohtani and Trout facing each other when the stakes were highest will go down as the most memorable moment of the 2023 edition of the WBC. It was the first time that fans got to see two of the biggest baseball stars playing on opposite sides and possibly the last ones.

“This is the best moment in my life,” said Ohtani after the game. “I’ve seen Japan winning and just wanted to be part of it. I really appreciate that I was able to have this great experience.”

Ohtani claimed the MVP of the tournament honors thanks to his contribution on both the mound and at the plate. He pitched 1.86 ERA and 11 strikeouts while batting .435 with a home run and four doubles.

Japan, who was undefeated at the 2023 WBC, remains the most decorated nation in tournament history, having also won the first two editions in 2006 and 2010. The United States remains one-time champions, with Team USA winning it all in 2017.

The post Japan Beats Team USA to Win the World Baseball Classic appeared first on SportzBonanza.

The Los Angeles Angels two-way star Shohei Ohtani continued with a stellar performance at this year’s World Baseball Classic. Pitching for Japan on Thursday, Ohtani struck out five batters and allowed just two runs allowed to help his country to a dominant 9-3 win.

The audience at the Tokyo Dome also witnessed Ohtani throwing his fastest pitch since he came to MLB in 2018. The 28-year-old threw a 102-mph heater in the second inning to strike out Vinnie Pasquantino. His previous high was clocked at 101.4 mph in September against the Houston Astros.

By beating Italy, Japan has secured a spot in the WBC semifinals for their fifth straight time. They are now the only country in the history of the competition to do so.

Ohtani is serving in a dual role for Japan at WBC in the same way he has been doing for the Angels. He is batting .438 and has one home run with eight RBIs. On the mound, he has a 2.08 ERA with 10 strikeouts.

Japan is set to play either Mexico or Puerto Rico in the semis, with Ohtani just serving as a hitter. The 2021 AL MVP will have a chance to pitch again if his team manages to get to the finals. Japan made the WBC finals twice, in 2006 and 2009, and won both times. 

The post Shohei Ohtani Delivers 102-mph Pitch Against Italy, Leads Japan to WBC Semis appeared first on SportzBonanza.