Ohtani tempers expectations before 1st start: 'Things aren't going to go my way'

Shohei Ohtani wants to manage the hype ahead of his much-awaited spring debut on the mound Saturday with the Los Angeles Angels.

"I feel like this will be a big step forward for me and my career in the major leagues," Ohtani told David Adler of MLB.com through his interpreter. "I'm really happy at this point. This is going to be my first start in the States, so I'm pretty sure a lot of things aren't going to go my way, but that's OK. I just need to find what I need to adjust."

The 23-year-old right-hander is slated to take on the Milwaukee Brewers in his first action at Tempe Diablo Stadium, the Angels' spring training facility.

While he'll make his pitching debut Saturday, baseball fans will have to wait to see the two-way star take his first swings in a game scenario.

The Angels signed Ohtani to a minor-league deal with a signing bonus worth a reported $2.315 million. Other finalists to recruit the international prospect included the Seattle Mariners, San Diego Padres, Chicago Cubs, Texas Rangers, San Francisco Giants, and Los Angeles Dodgers.