[ODDS and EVENS] For Shohei Ohtani, Winning is the Only Priority

japan-forward.com
 
[ODDS and EVENS] For Shohei Ohtani, Winning is the Only Priority

Years with the Angels: Ohtani Established Himself as an MLB Superstar

There was plenty of individual glory for Ohtani during his six seasons with the Angels, including an AL-leading 44 home runs in 2023 and an array of titanic blasts while he donned his former club's jersey.

And despite his injury setbacks as a pitcher, Ohtani has demonstrated that it's possible to thrive as a two-way player in the modern era. He's an exceptional pitcher who was 34-16 as a starter over the past three seasons.

As he embarks on the next chapter of his professional career, Ohtani exuded class in looking back on his six-year run with the Angels. He didn't bash the club for its shortcomings or perennial failure to reach the playoffs. 

Instead, Ohtani was filled with gratitude.

"I would like to thank the Los Angeles Angels organization. It was great, it was a fun ride, a great ride, for the last six years," Ohtani told reporters at Dodger Stadium. 

Find Ed on JAPAN Forward's dedicated website, SportsLook.[Japan Sports Notebook] on Sundays, [Odds and Evens] during the week, and X (formerly Twitter) @ed_odeven