SPORTS August 7, 2023 THE ASIAN REPORTER n Page 11 Angels say they won’t trade Shohei Ohtani. He celebrates with a 1-hitter, 2 homers. By Larry Lage The Associated Press D ETROIT — Shohei Ohtani looked his manager in the eye and in just a few words, left no doubt of his intentions. “I’ll finish it,” Los Angeles Angels manager Phil Nevin recalled Ohtani telling him after the eighth inning of what became his first complete game last month in Major League Baseball (MLB). “He wanted it. I could see it, too.” Ohtani polished off his one-hit shutout of the Detroit Tigers, then continued his extraordinary day in the second game of the doubleheader, hitting two homers to increase his major league-leading total to 38 before leaving the game with cramps. The two-way superstar became the first player to throw a shutout in one game of a doubleheader and hit one homer — much less two — in the other. “It’s certainly something I’ve never seen — I’m not sure at any level,” Nevin said. Hours before Ohtani delivered the message to his manager, the Angels delivered one of their own. The franchise, desperate to make the playoffs for the first time since 2014, made a win-now trade to bolster its pitching staff and confirmed that Ohtani will stay for the rest of the season before he becomes a free agent. “We’re going to roll the dice and see what happens,” general manager Perry Minasian said before Ohtani led Los Angeles to a 6-0 win over the Tigers in Game 1 of the doubleheader, just days before MLB’s trade deadline. Ohtani’s start was his best in the majors. He gave up one hit, walked three, and struck out eight on 111 pitches, including fastballs nearing 100 mph and sliders and splitters that left the Tigers flailing. Ohtani improved to 9-5 with a 3.43 Earned Run Average (ERA) on the mound. In Game 2, Ohtani returned to the TWO-WAY TRIUMPH. Pitcher Shohei Ohtani (top photo) of the Los Angeles Angels throws against the Detroit Tigers in Detroit during the first baseball game of a doubleheader on July 27, 2023. In the bot- tom photo, Ohtani is seen hitting a two-run home run against the Tigers during the second game of the July 27 doubleheader. The two-way Ohtani became the first player to throw a shutout in one game of a dou- bleheader and hit one homer — much less two — in the other. (AP Photos/Paul Sancya) designated hitter role. The left-handed hitter hit a two-run homer to left in the second inning and a line drive to right-center in the fourth before Nevin pulled him out of the game after he was grimacing in pain. “He’ll get some fluids in him and he’ll be fine,” Nevin said after the Angels’ 11-4 victory, which gave them a three-game sweep at Detroit and nine wins in 11 games overall. Ohtani became the second player since at least 1900 to throw a one-hit shutout or better and hit a home run on the same day, joining Philadelphia’s Rick Wise, who hit a two-run homer during his no-hitter against Cincinnati on June 23, 1971. “We try not to take for granted what we have in him,” Nevin said. “Hate to say that you expect greatness every day, but it’s what we get. It’s awesome to watch. Him performing at this level, when there is so much focus on one person, only the mentally strong are able to do that and that’s what impresses me most about him.” It was just the latest display of why Ohtani could have landed a huge prospect haul in a trade, and why he’s expected to cash in on perhaps the world’s most lucra- tive contract in any sport this offseason. Some speculate the 29-year-old might Continued on page 15 It’s wildfire season. Are you prepared? Learn more at portlandgeneral.com/beprepared