Shohei Ohtani to make his spring training pitching start against the Kansas City Royals on Monday
Fans are buzzing with excitement for reigning AL MVP Shohei Ohtani and the Los Angeles Angels' 2022 campaign. A busy offseason has propelled them into the top of the American League West projections as one of the division favorites.
Following an offseason highlighted by chances on bounce-back campaigns from fireballer Noah "Thor" Syndergaard and Michael Lorenzen to go along with stabilizing presences such as the signings of relievers Aaron Loup and Ryan Tepera, the Angels are ready to make strides and announce their arrival as the new sheriff in LA.
Steve Phillips likes the new additions to the Los Angeles #Angels bullpen.
@StevePhillipsGM | @Angels https://t.co/jr1ygUqfxw
Shohei Ohtani will be kicking off another level of excitment on Monday, March 21st for the Los Angeles Angels, as he takes the mound against the Kansas City Royals.
Ohtani, listed as the ace on the Angels depth chart, will likely have a light workload in his first outing as he ramps up for his second full season coming off of Tommy John surgery. However, being the competitor he is, Shohei will surely be looking to give Los Angeles Angels fans a brief glimpse of the greatness he intends to bring to the 2022 season.
Shohei Ohtani is scheduled to make his first #LAASpring pitching start on Monday at Tempe Diablo Stadium.
🎟: angels.com/spring https://t.co/cEhmKAfnDa
"Shohei Ohtani is scheduled to make his first #LAASpring pitching start on Monday at Tempe Diablo Stadium." - @ Los Angeles Angels
Shohei Ohtani absolutely dazzled fans, media and opponents alike last year as he slugged 46 homers and drove in 110 runs for an Angels team that was missing key superstars like outfielder and 3-time American League Most Valuable Player Mike Trout as well as pricey third baseman Anthony Rendon. As the sole source of offense for a depleted Angels lineup, little could be asked of the Japanese Babe Ruth. Pitching-wise, Ohtani pitched to a 3.18 earned-run average while averaging over 10 strikeouts per 9 innings.
While it seems impossible for Shohei Ohtani to build on the stellar 2021 campaign he had (Fangraphs has him hitting 6 fewer home runs and allowing more runners to score), he won't be expected to carry the team on his shoulders like he was last year. The return of Mike Trout and Anthony Rendon to the lineup to go along with the continued development of younger contributors such as Brandon Marsh and Jared Walsh should allow Ohtani to either see more hittable pitches or feel less pressure to work counts and take his walks.
On the mound, Shohei Ohtani should feel less compelled to carry the team as well, as the revamped bullpen should allow manager Joe Maddon to manage his workload effectively. The bullpen should see added effectiveness if Syndergaard and Lorenzen can prove to be a reliable source of innings. The first step for Shohei Ohtani to continue his dominance begins on Monday, against the Kansas City Royals.