Los Angeles Angels Shohei Ohtani has finally risen to the top of the ERA in both leagues.
On the 12th (hereinafter Korean time), Ohtani led the team to a 2-0 victory with a good pitching of 7 innings, 1 hit and no runs against the Washington Nationals. He threw 19 innings in 3 games this season and recorded 2 wins, an earned run average of 0.47, 24 strikeouts, a WHIP of 0.947 and a batting average of 0.100.
It was the 15th that Ohtani ranked first in ERA. Tampa Bay Rays Drew Rasmussen, who was first place, scored 8 hits and 5 runs in 4⅓ innings against the Toronto Blue Jays, and his ERA soared from ‘zero’ to 2.60, so Ohtani naturally took first place.
But it’s not a safe situation. Two starting pitchers are threatening Ohtani with an average ERA of 0.00 only because they failed to fill the required innings.
First of all, Atlanta Braves Bryce Elder. He has pitched 12⅓ innings in two games and has yet to give up a run. He threw 12⅓ and fell short of the regulation innings (14 innings). He spent the season at Triple-A, and was called up to the big leagues on the 5th after first starter Max Fried injured his left hamstring while pitching in the 4th inning of the opening game against the Washington Nationals on the 31st of last month.
On the 11th, the second appearance of the season, Elder made a good pitch with 6 hits and no runs in 6⅓ innings against the Cincinnati Reds, and will start the away game against the Kansas City Royals at 5:10 am on the 16th. If Elder blocks 6⅔ innings with 1 earned run, the ERA equals Ohtani’s. In other words, he can beat Ohtani if he continues his no-earning run streak or if he blocks 7 or more innings with 1 earned run.
Another pitcher with a zero ERA is Philadelphia Phillies fifth starter Matt Strahm. Stram, who is scoreless in 10 innings in 3 games, will start against the Cincinnati Reds at 5:10 am on the same day. Strahm, who was not ranked in the ERA ranking due to insufficient innings, becomes the first overall in this category if he pitches 5 or more innings without an ERA or 6⅓ innings with 1 ERA against Cincinnati. It’s a similar situation with Elder.
In the American League alone, Sonny Gray of the Minnesota Twins is second with 0.56, following Ohtani. Gray threw 17 innings in three games, giving up one earned run. This is the first time Ohtani has topped the ERA since his major league debut. It means a lot.
Regarding the rotation operation this season, Angels coach Phil Nevin said that Ohtani also follows a five-man rotation. In 2021 and 2022, Ohtani usually took 6 or more days off to start, but this year, the rule is to take 4 or 5 days off. This means that there is no reason to fall short of the regulation innings. Ohtani, who filled the required innings for the first time with 166 innings last year, is expected to be able to play more than 180 innings this season.
At the beginning of the season, Ohtani is being evaluated as ‘unhitable’. He gave up five walks against Washington, but only had six hits in three games. Analysts say that the fastball with an average speed of 97.1 mph and the sweeper that throws about half are gaining more power day by day. Ohtani Sweeper’s batting average is 0.088 (3 hits in 34 at-bats).메이저사이트
MLB.com ranked Dylan Seaz’s slider, Sandy Alcantara’s changeup, and Ohtani’s sweeper as the top three pitches. It is a good start to win the Cy Young Award and MVP at the same time.
Meanwhile, Ohtani will make his fourth start of the season in an away game against the Boston Red Sox on the 18th. The starting opponent is expected to be Chris Sale.