After seeing two-way star Shohei Ohtani only take to the plate last season, the Los Angeles Angels will have the Japanese sensation back on the hill once the 2020 campaign opens up next week.
However, there could be a caveat here. Angels general manager Billy Eppler noted on Wednesday that they are looking at one specific day for Ohtani to pitch.
Angels general manager indicates Shohei Ohtani will only pitch on Sundays
Could this mean that Los Angeles plans on going with a six-man rotation during the truncated 60-game 2020 season? That seems more than plausible based on Eppler’s comments.
Los Angeles has more pitching depth in 2020 than previous iterations of the team. It signed Julio Teheran in free agency and acquired Dylan Bundy in a trade with the Baltimore Orioles.
Shohei Ohtani fully recovered from Tommy John Surgery
Taking it slow with the former American League Rookie of the Year makes sense. He missed the end of the 2018 campaign after undergoing the dreaded surgery. This came following a rookie season in which Ohtani pitched to a 4-2 record with a 3.31 ERA while striking out 63 batters in just 51.2 innings.
Los Angeles needs him to go the distance this season if the team wants to compete with the Houston Astros and Oakland Athletics in a loaded AL West.