For the first time in exactly a year, Shohei Ohtani took the field for a regular-season game at Angel Stadium on Tuesday, wearing a Los Angeles Dodgers jersey.
The reception as Ohtani walked to the batter’s box reflected the various aspects of his departure from and return to the franchise with which he spent the first six seasons of his MLB career. There were mostly cheers (and perhaps a not inconsiderable number of Dodgers fans in attendance), reflecting his MVP-level success. There were some boos, indicating that not everyone was happy that he’d signed a $700 million contract with a city rival.
And the total lack of a crowd shows how much the franchise lost with him gone.
The Angels didn’t treat Ohtani’s return with much respect. Sam Blum of The Athletic reported that as of Monday there were no plans to honor Ohtani before the game, and that’s largely unchanged.
The team had graphics highlighting his accomplishments — a Rookie of the Year, two MVPs and two Silver Sluggers — but only a video was released on social media. Perhaps notable was that Ohtani showed the video while he was attending a spring training game.
The Angels also enjoyed Ohtani, putting “Used to work here” as a fun fact on the video board in the bottom of the fifth inning.
Ohtani grounded out to first base in his first at-bat, but hit an RBI triple in his next to tie the game. He went 1-for-4 with two runs scored in a 6-2 Dodgers victory that lasted into the 10th inning.
Ohtani played a role in the extra innings when the Angels intentionally walked Mookie Betts in the 10th inning to get to him rather than face their old superstar. Betts responded with a game-winning, three-run homer.
Apparently this wasn’t the first time the Angels had made the difficult decision to walk Ohtani.
Shohei Ohtani will always be part of Angels history
This game marked the anniversary of Ohtani’s first game at Angel Stadium wearing a visiting jersey and his final game in an Angels jersey. Ohtani played his first six MLB seasons with Anaheim and exceeded the inflated expectations that came with him as a promising player from his native Japan.
Hailed as Japan’s Babe Ruth, Ohtani signed with the Angels in 2017 at age 23 and quickly fulfilled his promise as a two-way player for a generation. Ohtani shone at the plate, made several appearances on the mound and was named the AL Rookie of the Year in 2018.
Ohtani batted .285/.361/.564 with 22 home runs, 61 RBIs and 10 stolen bases in his first MLB season. He started 10 games, striking out 63 batters in 51 1/3 innings and posting a 3.31 ERA. Ohtani played alongside Mike Trout, who won his third MVP trophy one season later, so high expectations were high in Anaheim.
Tommy John surgery limited his opportunities on the mound after his rookie season, but he continued to develop at the plate and became one of the most dangerous hitters in baseball. When he returned to the mound full-time in 2021, Ohtani won his first MVP trophy for his overall performance as a hitter and pitcher.
After finishing in the top four in Cy Young and MVP voting in 2022, he returned to the Angels on a one-year, $30 million contract that avoided arbitration. He was named MVP again in 2023, his final season with the Angels.
Although Ohtani’s play exceeded all expectations, the Angels were unable to translate his talent into team success. The Angeles Lakers never made the postseason in Ohtani’s six seasons with the team, and he left last offseason as perhaps the most anticipated free agent signing in MLB history. He joined the Dodgers on a 10-year, $700 million contract, but reportedly gave the Angels an option to match it.
In six seasons with the Angels, Ohtani batted .274/.366/.556 with 171 home runs, 437 RBIs and 86 stolen bases. In 481 2/3 innings pitched, he had a 3.01 ERA, a 1.082 WHIP, 608 strikeouts and 173 walks.
Elbow surgery will keep Ohtani off the mound in 2024, but his historic season at the plate makes him the overwhelming favorite for the NL MVP. Ohtani entered Tuesday batting .292/.377/.616 with 44 home runs, 98 RBIs and 46 stolen bases and is in pursuit of an unprecedented 50-home run and 50-stolen base season.