Shohei Ohtani Already Looks Really Good

Shohei Ohtani broke out with the bat in his first home game for the Los Angeles Angels Tuesday night. The team’s Japanese star had a huge night, and while it’s super early in the season, it looks like his two-way experiment may work really well.

Ohtani batted eighth as the designated hitter Tuesday night against the Cleveland Indians and went 3-for-4 with a home run, three RBI and two runs scored. He hit one out on his first at-bat in his new home park:

He hammered that pitch, but the best part of the highlight is his teammates giving him the silent treatment in the dugout. Classic.

His show with the bat Tuesday night followed his major league debut on the mound from Sunday, when he settled in throw six innings of three-hit ball, while giving up three runs (all on one home run), striking out six and allowing one walk. The 23-year-old was as-advertised on the mound, hitting the upper-90s regularly with devastating breaking stuff.

There were a lot of questions this offseason about whether Ohtani’s two-way experiment would work. Most believed he’d be fantastic on the mound but that his bat would lag behind against major league pitching. That hasn’t been the case so far.

Yes, it’s a long season, but this guy looks like he belongs already.