The Los Angeles Angels' Shohei Ohtani was lifted after pitching four scoreless innings against the Seattle Mariners on Thursday night because of cramping in his right hand, the team announced
Ohtani, who was making his first mound start in a week after being pushed back by blister issues, stayed in the game as the designated hitter. He wound up blasting his major-league-leading 40th homer in the eighth inning before the Angels lost 5-3. He finished the night 2-for-2 at the plate, with two walks, one RBI, a stolen base and two runs
The right-hander, the 2021 American League MVP and a three-time All-Star in his six seasons in the majors, threw 59 pitches on Thursday, giving up three hits with one walk and four strikeouts
In his previous start, the first game of a doubleheader in Detroit on July 27, Ohtani ran his record to 9-5 by pitching a one-hit shutout in a 6-0 win. He threw 111 pitches in that game. He then homered twice in the second game of the twin bill
--Field Level Medi