The long-awaited showdown between Angels slugger Shohei Ohtani and Mariners pitcher Yusei Kikuchi took place Saturday night, and Ohtani won the battle resoundingly, hitting a fourth-inning home run as part of back-to-back-to-back shots for the Angels. Elsewhere in the AL West, the Rangers retired Adrian Beltre’s number in the first of a number of ceremonies counting down to his inevitable Hall of Fame induction. The Yankees lost another pitcher to injury, the Rays lost a prospect again and another prospect did something unbelievable in the college super regionals.
Ohtani and Kikuchi went to the same high school in Japan and have long been linked. Ohtani hit an infield single in his first at-bat and then did this in the fourth inning.
Angels go back-to-back-to-back against Yusei Kikuchi.
Shohei Ohtani capped it with this oppo-blast.
(Via @Cut4)pic.twitter.com/o2VfTfLvbY
— Yahoo Sports MLB (@MLByahoosports) June 9, 2019
Adrian Beltre looks like he could still go out and hit .270 with 25 home runs and play great defense, but instead, we’ll take a number-retirement ceremony.
Rangers retire Adrian Beltre’s #29 in a memorable ceremony on Saturday night. | by @DylanDuellhttps://t.co/f9zTH3fhnI
— Dallas Sports Fanatic (@Dallas_Fanatic) June 9, 2019
Even as the Yankees start to have players return, others seem to be hitting the IL just as fast.
Domingo Germán says he’s been feeling pain in his hip since the start he made a couple Sundays ago in Kansas City. He didn’t tell the team about the pain, because he thought he could fight through it and it would eventually go away. He really started feeling it in the 2nd inn Fri
— Coley Harvey (@ColeyHarvey) June 9, 2019
What bad luck for Rays pitching prospect Brent Honeywell, who broke his elbow Saturday while working his way back from Tommy John surgery. Another year on the shelf.
Rays Prospect Brent Honeywell Fractures Bone In Elbow During Rehab Process https://t.co/tOVWVM2Df9 pic.twitter.com/qmckN0FEgI
— MLB Trade Rumors (@mlbtraderumors) June 8, 2019
Kumar Rocker of Vanderbilt in an elimination game on Saturday night: a no-hitter (wow), 19 strikeouts (wow!), 131 pitches (not great). But still, wow!
Kumar Rocker’s 19Ks (No Hitter) in 52 Seconds. pic.twitter.com/tGi9VywIdy
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) June 9, 2019
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