Giants wowed by firsthand look at Ohtani
ANAHEIM -- The Giants have made no secret of their affinity for two-way players.
Their last two first-round Draft picks -- Reggie Crawford and Bryce Eldrige -- are pursuing two-way paths in the Minors, and the Giants are widely expected to be among the suitors for Angels superstar Shohei Ohtani this offseason.
The Giants got a firsthand look at Ohtani’s otherworldly abilities in a 4-1 loss to the Angels on Wednesday night at Angel Stadium, which sealed a disappointing 1-4 road trip through Oakland and Anaheim.
The three-time All-Star and 2021 American League MVP allowed only one unearned run on three hits and three walks over six innings while going 0-for-2 with two walks and a run scored at the plate. The Giants finished 0-for-5 with runners in scoring position and stranded 10 runners, with only one of their five hits going for extra bases.
“Obviously, he was able to keep his pitch count under control and pitch deep into that game,” manager Gabe Kapler said of Ohtani. “Early on, I thought we did a nice job of grinding and laying off pitches that we couldn’t drive, which forced him to get into the zone a little bit. We put some good swings on him. Ultimately, he’s so good that he finds his way even on days when doesn’t have his best stuff. I thought he pitched well today.”
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San Francisco scored its lone run of the game in the second inning after Michael Conforto doubled, advanced to third on an errant pickoff throw by Angels catcher Matt Thaiss and came home on a sacrifice fly by Brandon Crawford.
Opener Ryan Walker and left-hander Sean Manaea combined to blank the Angels through the first five innings, but the game turned after the Halos rallied for four runs in the sixth. Manaea, who struck out six over four-plus innings, was removed after yielding a leadoff double to Luis Rengifo and replaced by rookie Tristan Beck, who intentionally walked Ohtani to put a pair of runners on for Brandon Drury.
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Drury tied the game with an RBI single that was bobbled by left fielder Joc Pederson, and Mike Moustakas followed with the decisive blow, hammering an 0-2 sweeper from Beck out to right field for a three-run shot that gave the Angels a 4-1 lead. The stumble put a damper on a bit of homecoming for Beck, a Corona, Calif., native who entered Wednesday with a 1.24 ERA over 15 appearances dating back to May 26.
“His sweeper has been so good,” Kapler said. “He surprisingly left that one up to Drury, who was able to get a piece of it and drive it to left field. The same could be said for Moustakas. I think he wants to get that pitch underneath the zone. Both of those guys put good swings on the ball.”
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By shutting down the Giants, Ohtani became the first player in MLB history to record 40 home runs as a hitter and 10 wins as a pitcher in a single season. The 29-year-old leads the Majors in homers (40) at the plate, as well as opponents’ batting average (.185) on the mound, putting him in line to deliver perhaps the greatest campaign in MLB history.
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“That guy is one of a kind,” Giants right-hander Logan Webb said on Monday. “I think he’s the most talented baseball player of all time.”
Had the Angels not pulled Ohtani off the trade market last month, the Giants likely would have been in position to make a compelling offer for the Japanese sensation, as they have a promising wave of young prospects that is beginning to crest in the Majors. That rising core of talent could help make San Francisco an attractive destination for Ohtani this offseason, when he will be the most coveted free agent on the market.
The Giants certainly could use Ohtani’s services, as they’re currently getting by with two traditional starters in their rotation and rank 23rd in the Majors in slugging percentage (.390). Ohtani could help on both fronts and finally fill the superstar void that became even more glaring following the Giants’ failed pursuits for Aaron Judge and Carlos Correa last winter.
“Right now, this is the best player in baseball,” Kapler said. “Not just because he conducts a great at-bat. Not just because he has big home run power. It’s not one thing in particular. It’s because he’s so well-rounded and does everything at such a high level, including running the bases. Obviously, on the pitching side, you can make the case that he’s one of the better pitchers in baseball, as well.”