"I felt like if I came through in that at-bat, we could have won the game" - AL MVP Shohei Ohtani places blame on his shoulders as Angels offense fails to ignite
The Los Angeles Angels and Shohei Ohtani are learning the hard way that baseball is a team game. The two-way sensation has carried the team on his shoulders all season. He fell just short on Wednesday and was unable to pull out a victory against the Oakland Athletics.
Ohtani was effective on the mound. He pitched 5.2 innings, allowing just two earned runs on seven hits while striking out seven batters. Unfortunately for the reigning American League MVP, his team once again provided him with limited run support. Instead of blaming his teammates, Ohtani placed the blame for the loss squarely on his shoulders in his postgame interview.
"I felt like if I came through in that at-bat, we could have won the game," said Ohtani.
Ohtani was speaking through an interpreter after the game, as reported by ESPN.
"Since I didn't, I felt like that was the biggest moment of the game," added Ohtani.
The Angels went on to lose the game 3-1 and dropped to 44-60 on the season. They are now 23 games behind the first-placed Houston Astros with 58 games remaining in the season.
FINAL A's 3, Angels 1. Shohei Ohtani (9-7, 2.83 ERA) has lost 3 consecutive starts, and he received exactly 1 combined run of support while pitching in those 3 starts.
The LAAs have lost 47 of 67, and MLB is still going to make them play 58 more of these.
"FINAL A's 3, Angels 1. Shohei Ohtani (9-7, 2.83 ERA) has lost 3 consecutive starts, and he received exactly 1 combined run of support while pitching in those 3 starts. The LAAs have lost 47 of 67, and MLB is still going to make them play 58 more of these." - Greg Beacham
It was another frustrating evening for Angels fans as their team could only muster six total hits on the night and left 8 men on base. Ohtani himself was 0-3 with a strikeout on the night.
Shohei Ohtani dropped to 9-7 on the season after a 3-1 loss to the Oakland A's
For Ohtani to single-handedly take the blame for a loss shows his leadership qualities and the pressure he puts on himself to win every outing. His latest comments confirm that he is not only a talented baseball player, but also a great teammate.
During his last three starts, Ohtani has received just one run of support from his offense. The Angels lost all three of those games despite their ace pitcher stiking out 29 batters.
FINAL: The Angels lose to the A's 3-1.
It was another lifeless performance from the offense. Shohei Ohtani was solid in 5 2/3, but not dominant.
Ohtani exited the game in the 7th for an unknown reason (will know more soon).
The Angels are 44-60.
"FINAL: The Angels lose to the A's 3-1. It was another lifeless performance from the offense. Shohei Ohtani was solid in 5 2/3, but not dominant. Ohtani exited the game in the 7th for an unknown reason (will know more soon). The Angels are 44-60." - Sam Blum
This is a lineup that prides itself on its offensive firepower. The team has invested a large portion of its payroll in veteran hitters like Mike Trout and Anthony Rendon.
The Angels are currently ranked 26 in the majors with 402 runs on the year. They are averaging a meager 3.86 runs per game. They rank even lower in the hits colomn. With only 788 hits on the season, they are the fourth-worst ranked team in the MLB.
One has to wonder how much more of this Shohei Ohtani can take. He remains humble after every loss and refuses to discuss trade possibilites. It is becoming increasingly frustrating for fans to watch one of the greatest baseball players of this generation waste his talent in southern California.