On Thursday, Ohtani became the first player in AL/NL history to both throw his team’s first pitch of the season and face his team’s first pitch of the season as a hitter.
The two-way superstar made his first career Opening Day start as a pitcher, striking out Jose Altuve to start the game en route to a scoreless first inning despite allowing a single and walking a batter.. He also batted leadoff for the Angels, rapping the first pitch from Framber Valdez to short and nearly beating out an infield single.
That means Ohtani was the first Angels player to take the mound this season — and the first Angels player to step into the batter’s box. He departed from the mound with two outs in the fifth after allowing a run on four hits and a walk while striking out nine. Thanks to the “Ohtani Rule,” he stayed in the game as the designated hitter.
“He likes hitting leadoff and I like hitting behind him,” Angels superstar Mike Trout said. “His ceiling is unbelievable. Nothing he does really surprises me.”
Ohtani, the reigning American League MVP, had 46 home runs, 26 stolen bases and 100 RBIs as a hitter last season and went 9-2 with a 3.18 ERA and 156 strikeouts as a pitcher.