24 July 2023 , 13:52
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MLB and LA Angels superstar Shohei Ohtani had a rare outburst after being held hitless during the 3-0 home loss to the Pittsburgh Pirates on Saturday.
The 29-year-old was frustrated by his performance after surprisingly being sent back to the benches instead of joining teammates on bases.
Ohtani ripped off an elbow pad and threw it before smashing his helmet, which backfired on the two-way player, as it bounced back and hit him in the face.
Ohtani's outburst backfiring saw the Angels star settle down, and re-collect his gear. The Japan baseball star had a game to forget, striking out in three of his four attempts at batting.
Ohtani was back to his usual self in the third and final game of the series with the Pirates, though, registering a home run. LA won the game 7-5 with Ohtani's homer coming in what could be his last game in Anaheim.
Inside Shohei Ohtani's MLB contract stand-off as Mike Trout sends him plea
The player's future with the Angels is uncertain with the Aug. 1 trade deadline coming up, but the MLB franchise is keen to hold onto their key man as they're still in the AL wild-card race. It is a hotly contested race, however, with seven teams separated by six games for the final two spots.
"That did not cross my mind at all," Ohtani said of what could possibly be his last game for the Angels. "Obviously I'm part of the Angels at this moment. I feel like we're in a decent spot to make a playoff run, so I just try not to really think about that."
Ohtani continued: "I've never really had a sit-down talk like that [staying beyond 2023]. We're in midseason, obviously, and I'm just trying to focus on the season and sort of block everything else out. Like I said earlier, I feel like we're in a decent spot to make a playoff run, and that's all I'm really focused on at the moment."
Fans inside Angel Stadium showered Ohtani with "MVP" chants. "I'm very happy to hear those, obviously," Ohtani said. "But at the same time, I feel like I could've performed better and given them a better show."
The Angels would command a monster package to part ways with Ohtani, with only a few teams able to table attractive offers. Sports Illustrated has named the Texas Rangers, who could offer a number of top prospects for potential rental player Ohtani. It may, however, sting to send Ohtani to an in-division rival.