Watch: Shohei Ohtani shows off his wheels, sprints into home plate to give the Los Angeles Angels the comeback victory
Shohei Ohtani is proving that he is more than just this generation's Babe Ruth, because Babe Ruth never had the speed this Los Angeles Angels superstar displays. The star-studded Los Angeles Angels have surpassed the Houston Astros in the American League West and have now positioned themselves as the top team in the division.
The Los Angeles Angels were tied in the bottom of the ninth against the Washington Nationals, with Shohei Ohtani in scoring position on second base. Anthony Rendon hit a drive to center field. The superstar pitcher took off and made it to home plate with remarkable speed.
A video of the play can be seen below, posted by The Athletic on Twitter.
@SportsCenterAnthony Rendon’s base hit scores a speedy Shohei Ohtani and the Angels walk it off in Anaheim.
The Halos are in first place in the AL West.
🎥 @SportsCenter https://t.co/s0KTAlMEpg
"Anthony Rendon's base hit scores a speedy Shohei Ohtani and the Angels walk it off in Anaheim. The Halos are in first place in the AL West." - @ The Athletic
We are quickly approaching the point where Shohei Ohtani is just showing off, as nobody else in the league is capable of the same things he is.
The Shohei Ohtani show might make it to the postseason in 2022
The Los Angeles Angels have been absent from the playoffs since 2014, where they were swept in a five-game series by the Kansas City Royals. Mike Trout was a member of that team, and despite being one of the best players in the MLB, he was not surrounded by the talent he has now.
Now, with one of the most electric players in recent memory, this Los Angeles Angels team just feels different. They have all the tools they need to make a deep postseason run, and the hope is that 2022 is different.
The Japanese superstar was also the reason the game was tied at all. He hit a double in the ninth inning that set up the walk-off hit from Anthony Rendon.
A clip of the double was posted to Twitter by Talkin' Baseball.
Shohei Ohtani game-tying double! https://t.co/iJGUi9Wimf
"Shohei Ohtani game-tying double!" - @Talkin' Baseball
The Washington Nationals may not be one of the top teams in the league, but seeing the resiliency that was on display from the Los Angeles Angels is a great sign for the team.
Pairing that resiliency with the clutchness of their new superstar and the continued domination of Mike Trout is a recipe for success. While the AL West lead will be difficult to hold over the course of the season with the Houston Astros and Seattle Mariners hot on their tails, the division is quickly becoming one of the most fun to watch in baseball.