Ohtani unfazed as tempers flare in Oakland

Angels two-way star Shohei Ohtani upset A’s center fielder Mark Canha with a 93.3 mph fastball up and in during the third inning of Oakland's eventual 3-1 win, causing both benches to briefly clear Friday night at the Coliseum.

Canha appeared to say, "Come on, Sho," after the pitch was thrown near his head, prompting Angels catcher Kurt Suzuki to take offense. But Ohtani remained calm, raising his right hand to Canha to apologize for coming up-and-in with the fastball.

Ohtani was unfazed by the whole incident, as he was seen smiling on the mound as Canha exchanged words with Suzuki, waiting for the baseball to be returned to him for the next pitch.

“I wasn't really thinking too much of it,” Ohtani said through interpreter Ippei Mizuhara. “He's a good hitter and against good hitters I need to make my pitches in, and that's what I did. Nothing had any intent or was on purpose. That's it."

A few pitches later, Ohtani -- ever the picture of calm -- struck out Canha on a 97.9 mph fastball that also saw Elvis Andrus get thrown out at second on a stolen base attempt for a double play. It was the hardest-thrown pitch of the night at that point from Ohtani.

“It's no fun to have the ball going up and in a little bit, so I could understand where the hitter would react,” Angels manager Joe Maddon said. “Truly, nothing intentional on Shohei's part. What I love is that Shohei got the ball back and went after it. I thought that was great.”

Unbelievably, Ohtani hit Canha in the back with a 1-0 fastball his next time up in the sixth inning, with Andrus on first base and nobody out. Ohtani stumbled on the delivery and fell to one knee, while Canha took it in stride and never took offense to the pitch, as it was clear that there was no intent.

“It looked like he slipped the next time through,” Maddon said. “I just liked the way he dealt with it with his composure. I thought it was great."

Canha even smiled at first base, Ohtani indicating to him that it was an accident.

A’s manager Bob Melvin dismissed the initial incident as nothing more than players being caught up in the heat of the moment.

“Sometimes, certain things upset you,” Melvin said. “It looked like the ball was going right for his face. He just reacted. That’s the way it is. It’s an emotional game. Didn’t react at all the time he got hit. He’s used to getting hit. It’s not the first time, it won’t be the last.”

Suzuki had a similar take and said there’s nothing personal between Canha and the Angels.

“It’s just players competing,” Suzuki said. “I've been hit in the head before and the face, so that's your first reaction. I respect the way he plays the game and all that stuff. But it's just two guys in the heat of the moment. Everything after that was water under the bridge."