"F**k" - Shohei Ohtani caught muttering cuss word after a frustrating strikeout call by umpire
Shohei Ohtani doesn't speak much English, but he sure knows how to curse. The 27-year-old dual talent of the Los Angeles Angels made his frustration obvious during Sunday night's game against the Texas Rangers, and he did it in English.
It was the top of the third inning and the Angels were down 3-6. They had blown a 3-0 lead that Ohtani had helped establish in the first inning with an RBI double. But then starting pitcher Noah Syndergaard imploded in the bottom of the first, allowing four hits, six runs — four being earned — and only recording two outs. He didn't even make it through the inning.
The Angels went through their batting order in the second inning before Mike Trout, Shohei Ohtani, and Anthony Rendon were due up again in the top of the third. Trout hit first and grounded out to second base. Then it was Ohtani's turn. Rangers pitcher Jon Gray floated a 79 mph curveball into the zone for strike one. Ohtani watched the next two pitches for balls before fouling off a changeup on the fourth pitch. He watched another fastball high and outside. The count was full. Gray delivered the next pitch — an 83 mph slider landing almost in the exact same spot as the previous pitch called a ball. Except this time, the home plate umpire called Ohtani out on strikes.
Here's how the reigning MVP reacted.
Shohei Ohtani caught muttering cuss word after a frustrating strikeout call by umpire
Walking away from the plate, Ohtani muttered a familiar English expletive. The broadcast didn't pick up the audio, but reading lips isn't that hard. Ohtani's language was obvious.
Shohei Ohtani “Fuck”, mas o arremesso do Jon Gray foi perfeito
#StraightUpTx
https://t.co/QFjptp0tay
"Shohei Ohtani 'F***', mas o arremesso do Jon Gray foi perfeito #StraightUpTx" - @Beisebol Mundo Afora
Although that pitch probably looked like a ball to Ohtani, the statcast pitch tracker called it a strike. The fastball Ohtani watched for a ball on the 2-2 pitch was just a couple of inches off the plate. Jon Gray took that into account and decided to cut the plate with a slider. From Ohtani's perspective, it looked like it was going to land in the exact same spot as the last pitch. He should've taken into account that pitches below 90 mph have movement more often than not. This one was just 83 mph, and it broke left before hitting the strikezone. It was a perfect pitch and the correct call by the umpire.
Fuck - Ohtani May 16 2022
https://t.co/xXQlTlz32L
"F*** - Ohtani May 16 2022" - @Jo Adell
In case the other camera angle didn't capture Ohtani's reaction well enough, here's another. Even without audio, Ohtani's speech is easy to make out.