Los Angeles Angels land Japanese phenom Shohei Ohtani, the biggest prize of the MLB offseason

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Los Angeles Angels land Japanese phenom Shohei Ohtani, the biggest prize of the MLB offseason

Shohei Ohtani

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  • Highly-touted Japanese player Shohei Ohtani hs signed with the Los Angeles Angels.
  • The two-way prospect was the most sought-after player of the offseason for his abilities as both a pitcher and hitter.
  • His unique abilities have led some to dub him "Japan's Babe Ruth."


Shohei Ohtani will begin his MLB career with the Los Angeles Angels.

The Japanese two-way player was the most-coveted prize of the MLB offseason, and in a move that came as something of a surprise, he'll now be joining Garrett Richards and Parker Bridwell to possibly serve as an anchor for both the Angels starting rotation and their batting lineup.

Just 23 years old, Ohtani was 42-15 with a 2.52 ERA and a 1.08 WHIP in five seasons in Japan's Nippon Professional Baseball, and can top 100 mph with his fastball. In addition to his lights-out pitching numbers, Ohtani has also proven to have an impact at the plate, hitting 48 home runs over 403 games and batting a whopping .286, well above what baseball fans are used to seeing out of a starting pitcher.

While only time will tell just how well Ohtani will fair in the MLB, his rare talent will be a welcome addition to an Angels team that went a disappointing 80-82 last season. Soon-to-be teammate Mike Trout already seems excited by the prospect of having Ohtani in the clubhouse.

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It's still unclear how the Angels will use Ohtani - his most MLB-ready skill is his pitching, but since he's playing in the American League, the Angels could use him as a designated hitter on his off days in order to get the most out of their new player.

Regardless of how the Angels choose to use him, there's no doubt that Ohtani will be one of the most-watched players in baseball to start the 2018 season.