This week has been one of unbelievable highs and lows for the Angels, who remain 6 games under .500 as of Wednesday’s 3-2 loss to the Indians. On Tuesday, Japanese superstar Shohei Ohtani blasted his league-leading 14th home run of the year, then proceeded to start on the bump the next day. The buildup was massive for the two-way talent as his numbers on the mound are equally as impressive to those at the plate.
As a pitcher, Shohei leads the league in average allowed (.126), slugging percentage allowed (.195), and extra-base hits allowed (2), all while maintaining first in home runs (14), extra-base hits (26), and total bases (98) as a batter.
While he showcased a very sluggish arm, averaging his fastball at a measly 91.3mph, Ohtani adjusted and focused on his control, throwing 43 strikes on 72 pitches which is a sign of improvement for his sometimes-wild arm. Despite only allowing 2 earned runs through 4 and 2/3 innings, the offense was quiet, only registering 5 hits against the streaky Indians in the loss.
Unfortunately, this may turn out to be a continuing trend for the Halos following the news that the perennial AL MVP, Mike Trout, will be out for 6-8 weeks with a strained calf. This will be a real test for the club as the likes of Ohtani, Rendon, and rising star Jared Walsh will need to pick up the extra run support for their struggling rotation and bullpen. One player who has the potential to benefit from Trout’s lengthy absence is the Anaheim native, Jose Rojas. The multi-position call-up has been all over the field this year and will likely be filling in for Trout on occasion. This consistency in the lineup may prove huge for the 28-year-old as his performance at the plate has been quite lackluster. In 84 plate appearances, the righty is batting .179 with 15 hits and 4 RBIs. The one bright spot for Jose is his ability to produce extra-base hits, with 10 of his 15 knocks going for extra-bases. As this young season drags on, it will be players like Rojas who will need to step up and produce if the Angels want a shot of returning to the playoffs after a miserable drought.
