“First pitch, full swing,”: Shohei Ohtani vocalizing and delivering on his 2nd time leading off the All-Star game

“First pitch, full swing,”: Shohei Ohtani vocalizing and delivering on his 2nd time leading off the All-Star game

Shohei Ohtani

Shohei Ohtani is a man full of poise and determination, every time an MLB fans sees him featuring at bat or even pitching, there is a sense of exciting running all over. Before he kept his foot on to the plate to lead off the 2022 MLB All-Star Game, Los Angeles Angels’ two-way star told FOX’s Tom Verducci that he was going to swing at the first pitch from Los Angeles Dodgers’ ace Clayton Kershaw.

Shohei Ohtani is the reigning American League MVP and such a player must be true to his words to keep the support behind him going. Indeed, he adhered the words, as he singled to center field on a first-pitch 91 mph fastball from Kershaw. Ohtani was participating in his second career Midsummer Classic and unbelievably he was 0-for-8 in his career against Kershaw.

https://youtu.be/LnylHuPXTvw

Shohei Ohtani with his hit off the first pitch, marked just the third time in All-Star history. The others were Kirby Puckett in 1986 and Mike Trout in 2013. Eventually, Ohtani, was promptly picked off by Clayton Kershaw at first base, as Kershaw caught Ohtani leaning, about to attempt a stolen base.

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Shohei Ohtani hits the first pitch of the All-Star game for a run

“I was definitely swinging, 100 percent, and Kershaw has good command, so he wasn’t going to leave it over the middle,” Ohtani said through interpreter Ippei Mizuhara. “I wish I would’ve hit it squarer, or a swing and a miss might’ve been better. It was something in the middle, so I wasn’t very happy about that.”

Clayton Kershaw expressed his admiration for Ohtani, “You can’t throw the first pitch of an All-Star Game as a breaking ball, he didn’t hit it over the fence, so it was a win and we can move on. But, yeah, you kind of had to give him a heater there, I think just for everything. Had to do it.”

Shohei Ohtani participated in the T-Mobile Home Run Derby and started the All-Star Game on the mound and served as leadoff hitter. He even expressed that he was thankful for the support he received from the rival Dodgers fans at Dodger Stadium.

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