“I want to step out of the bullpen.”
“Baseball Genius” Ohtani Shohei (29, Los Angeles Angels) boasted extraordinary motivation. Looking forward to the finals of the 2023 World Baseball Classic (WBC). On the 20th (Korean time), Ohtani was interviewed by American and Japanese media after completing team training at Londipo Park in Miami, Florida, USA. “It is unreasonable to pitch in the WBC semifinals. The same goes for the final selection. Instead, I want to get on the mound in the final as a midfielder. I will decide according to my physical condition,” he said, burning his fighting spirit.
Ohtani is a resource that caused a sensation in the Major League (MLB). He successfully doubled his pitching career. He was definitely a superstar in this WBC. He played as part of the Japanese national team and proved his worth. He started from the first match of the first round of the finals against China held at the Tokyo Dome in Japan on the 9th. He sortied as a starter and pitched well with 4 innings, 1 hit and no runs. He didn’t throw a single pitch while striking out five. In the quarterfinal match against Italy on the 16th, he was the first to get on the mound and secured a foothold for victory with 2 runs in 4⅔ innings. It is needless to say that he showed an exciting hitting as the center hitter (No. 3).
Japan is aiming for the top of the WBC. With solid power at the forefront, they are running without hesitation from the finals. The semi-final against Mexico on the 21st is ahead. If they win, they will face the winner of the U.S.-Cuba match in the final. The starting rotation has been somewhat outlined. In the quarterfinals, ‘Young Gun’ Sasaki Loki (Chiba Lotte) will perform the starting mission. Yoshinobu Yamamoto (Orix Buffaloes) is expected to take over. Darvish Yu (San Diego Padres) is likely to be the starting pitcher for the final. If Ohtani goes out as a relief pitcher for the final match, as he hoped, there is a high possibility that he will be next to Darvish or as a closer.
However, it remains to be seen whether Ohtani can actually get back on the WBC mound. Previously, Angels coach Phil Nevin said in an interview with local media that “Ohtani will only pitch as a pitcher until the quarterfinals.” This is because the start of the big leagues is not far away. The opening game against the Oakland Athletics is scheduled for the 31st.카지노사이트 The Angels are considering Ohtani as their starting pitcher. As Ohtani himself directly expressed his will, attention is focused on whether the picture his fans want will be drawn. On this day, Ohtani, who checked his physical condition through catch balls, etc., laughed, saying, “The body is heavy, but it will be fine tomorrow.”