WATCH: Shohei Ohtani Strikes Out Team Japan Teammate Masataka Yoshida in First At-Bat
Los Angeles Angels ace Shohei Ohtani struck out his World Baseball Classic teammate, Masataka Yoshida, in their first meeting in the United States.
The game, being played early Monday because of the Boston Marathon festivities, was the first chance that Yoshida has had to face Ohtani since signing with the Boston Red Sox this offseason.
Ohtani and Yoshida just helped Team Japan win the World Baseball Classic, beating the United States in the most watched baseball game of all time.
Ohtani actually struggled in the first inning, walking leadoff man Raimel Tapia on four pitches to start the game. He also threw two wild pitches and allowed a run, but was able to blow this 98 mph fastball by Yoshida.
Ohtani is the best player in the world at present. At the time of this posting, he's 2-0 on the mound with a 0.90 ERA and 25 strikeouts in 20 innings. At the plate, he's hitting .315 with a .403 on-base percentage.
For Yoshida, it's been a struggle for him since getting to the Red Sox. He's hitting just .200 with one home run and six RBI. He also dealt with a hamstring issue this week that caused him to miss four games.
The Angels entered play on Monday at 7-8 overall, having lost the first three games of the series against the Red Sox. The Sox came into Monday at 8-8 and are looking to get back above .500 for the first time since they were 5-4.
After this series, the Red Sox welcome the Twins into town while the Angels visit the Yankees.
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