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Two-way Los Angeles Angels phenomenon Shohei Ohtani will have the chance to show off all he can do at this year’s All-Star festivities as the first-ranked man in Monday night’s Home Run Derby will also be the American League starting pitcher and first batter for Tuesday night’s game.
A first-time all-star, Ohtani leads the majors with 33 homers and is also 4-1 with a 3.49 ERA in 13 starts for the Angels. In addition to starting off the mound, Ohtani will remain in the game as the AL’s designated hitter.
“This is what the fans want to see,” said AL manager Kevin Cash of the Tampa Bay Rays on Monday.
Ohtani is the first player in major league history to be selected for an All-Star game as a hitter and pitcher. Fans voted him in for the home plate game, and he received the honor as a pitcher in the team’s final announcement on Sunday.
Cash was cleared by Angels manager Joe Maddon to play Ohtani as a hitter and pitcher in the All-Star Game. Maddon said last week that Ohtani wanted to play both ways in Denver and that Cash was okay with the plan.
Ohtani’s opponent on the pitcher’s mound will be National League starter Max Scherzer of the Washington Nationals.
Added to the National League roster as an injury substitute, Scherzer is 7-4 with a 2.66 ERA and has 134 strikes in 17 starts. For the Nats ace, this will be his fourth All-Star Game start and his eighth consecutive appearance in the Midsummer Classic.
The Colorado Rockies’ Coors Field All-Star Game is Tuesday night at 8 p.m. ET with the Home Run Derby airing Monday night on ESPN at 8 p.m.
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