Ohtani faces 12 batters, Ks 8 in 'B' game vs. Brewers
Shohei Ohtani had batters in fits Friday - at least, batters on the Milwaukee Brewers' "B" team.
The 23-year-old two-way phenom faced 12 batters, retiring eight of them - all via the K. Ohtani allowed two runs on four hits over 2 2/3 innings.
Ohtani in B game vs @Brewers :2.2 IP, four hits, two runs, eight whiffs, 51 pitches @Angels @MLB @HemondDelhiSABR pic.twitter.com/yZgLBKsCNu
— Barry M. Bloom (@Boomskie) March 2, 2018
"He was really nasty today," Los Angeles Angels catcher Rene Rivera told Pedro Moura of The Athletic postgame. "That slider, you see the hitters jumping back thinking it’s gonna hit them, and then the ball is right on the corner."
The original plan was for Ohtani to get three innings of work and throw 40-to-45 pitches against the Brewers at Maryvale Baseball Park in Phoenix, according to Jack Magruder of MLB.com.
After striking out the side in the first inning around a double from Brewers prospect Keston Hiura, Ohtani ran into some trouble in the second frame. After 20 pitches and a pair of punchouts, that inning was called. Ohtani came out for the third frame and struck out the side again on 13 pitches.
While all spring games are exhibitions, the "B" games are primarily for exercise purposes.
Through the first week, Ohtani has made three appearances in spring training games - twice as a designated hitter and once on the mound.