Shohei Ohtani's Heroic Streak: Angels Manager Acknowledges Fatigue Amidst Unprecedented Performance

Photo: Instagram/Shohei Ohtani

The Los Angeles Angels find themselves in a crucial position, needing victories to validate their decision to retain the exceptional talent of Shohei Ohtani, the game's finest player, as the trade deadline approaches.

This season, Ohtani's performance has been nothing short of superhuman. Following a grueling seven-game slump, they managed to secure two vital wins during their home series against San Francisco. 

An extraordinary feat occurred on Wednesday night, as Ohtani etched his name in MLB history by becoming the first player to achieve 10 pitching wins and 40 home runs in a single season.

Photo: Instagram/Shohei Ohtani

Such unparalleled greatness is truly a privilege to witness. Although Ohtani has consistently delivered excellence over recent weeks, the extensive string of games he's participated in – juggling roles as both a pitcher and designated hitter – is beginning to take its toll.

Manager Phil Nevin remarked, "He's fatigued. That's 16 consecutive games in 16 days. He told me in the sixth inning that his energy was depleting, but he persevered and managed a flawless inning."

During one instance, Ohtani required a visit from head athletic trainer Mike Frostad and Nevin after hitting a batter and facing a 1-0 count against Joc Pederson. Despite this interruption, he completed the inning without surrendering a hit. Although Ohtani only permitted three hits and no earned runs, he expressed dissatisfaction with his performance.

"I felt frustrated with my pitching throughout the entire game," Ohtani admitted. "I never truly found my rhythm."

After encountering a challenging period in early July, marked by 14 earned runs over 16.1 innings, Ohtani has remarkably turned things around on the mound. In his three most recent appearances, he's thrown 19 innings without conceding a single earned run.

Achieving a milestone in late July, Ohtani secured his first complete game by limiting Detroit to just one hit. Enduring a month-long struggle with a cracked fingernail and a blister on his middle finger, Ohtani's batting performance hasn't suffered drastically.

Throughout August, he's maintained a .323/.447/.484 batting average. The only noticeable decline is in his slugging percentage, which dropped from .775 in July.

Read Next: Versatile Athlete Malik Cunningham Shines In Dual QB-WR Role For Patriots

Source: Sports Illustrated
 

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