Dodger slugger Shohei Ohtani went hitless in three at-bats Tuesday, striking out twice, in his first appearance against his former team, the Angels, during a spring-training game in Glendale, Arizona.
Ohtani — who spent his first six seasons in the major leagues with the Angels before the Dodgers signed him to the largest contract in professional sports history — struck out on a full count on a 95 mph fastball by right-hander Chase Silseth in the first inning, and fanned looking on a 94-mph fastball from left-hander Tyler Thomas in the third.
He flied out to center fielder Mike Trout in the fifth inning against right-hander Guillermo Zunig, then left the game, which he Dodgers went on to lose, 4-0.
“I didn’t really feel too weird or uncomfortable, because it kind of is what it is,” Ohtani said through his interpreter, Ippei Mizuhara. “If I was playing at the Angels’ home (stadium), it might have been a little different story.”
The Dodgers are scheduled to play at Angel Stadium March 26 to conclude spring training, and the Freeway Series, which will begin with games at Dodger Stadium March 24-25.
Manager Dave Roberts said Tuesday afternoon that Ohtani would take Wednesday off and play Thursday night, but Ohtani said he planned to play Wednesday, a day game after a night game.
“Just looking at the whole schedule and the whole balance, I felt it was a good time to go back-to-back,” Ohtani said. “That’s another target I need to get to.”
Ohtani has not played back-to-back games as a Dodger as he seeks to make progress after undergoing surgery Sept. 19 to repair a torn ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow that will keep him from pitching this season.
Ohtani has expressed optimism that he will be able to play in the Dodgers’ opener March 20 against the San Diego Padres in Seoul, South Korea.
Ohtani entered Tuesday’s game reaching base on each of his last seven plate appearances and batting .714 average, with a .778 on-base percentage, a 1.429 slugging percentage and a 2.207 on-base plus slugging percentage in three games where he had seven at-bats and nine plate appearances.
Those figures dropped to a .500 average, a .583 on-base percentage, a 1.000 slugging percentage and a 1.583 on-base plus slugging percentage after Tuesday’s game.