The hype has been real so far around Shohei Ohtani. He has done nothing but dazzle us, both on the mound and at the plate. While many thought that the Angels might be forced to lock him into one role, they are faced with a new problem: getting him more at bats while keeping him ready for his turn in the rotation. Ohtani has told the media that, while he is being patient and listening to his club and manager, he would love to play more. And who could blame him? He has been tearing it up so far. In 7 games as the DH he is slashing a great .346/.414/.769 with 3 homers and 11 RBIs. He has handled all kinds of pitching and shown that his smooth lefty swing is legit. On the mound, he’s been equally impressive. In two starts, he’s struck out 18 while only allowing 6 baserunners across 13 innings, giving up only 3 earned runs. Ohtani’s pitching schedule isn’t likely to change. The Angels have adopted a 6 man rotation to allow him to pitch every seven days like he did in Japan. He wants more at bats. The Angels have been resting him on the days before and after his starts, but could they do more? They are wading in uncharted waters. How much rest does he need between starts to keep his arm fresh. If I was managing, I would try to get him in more games. He has been one of their most productive hitters. If he can handle it, I would play him everyday except the day before a start. Give him the one day to rest and get his mind right. He has already said that he gets his work in on the mound and at the plate everyday regardless, so why not try to maximize his efforts. It’s worth a shot, and if he can’t handle it then you can back down. I guess we’ll just have to wait and see. One thing is for sure, Ohtani is for real and everyone around the league wants to see as much of him as possible, except his opponents. His next start is scheduled for Sunday against the Royals.
