Shohei Ohtani Makes Spring Training Pitching Debut

Shohei Ohtani made his big league pitching debut for the Los Angeles Angels in a spring training game against the Milwaukee Brewers. He pitched 1.1 innings with two strike outs and two hits, including one home run.

His lone home run came off the bat of Keon Broxton in the second inning on a 1-1 count. Ohtani was replaced one batter later after Nick Franklin flew out to left field on the first pitch.

As a part of their daily on-demand trading card product, Topps has released a Shohei Ohtani rookie card commemorating one of the most anticipated debuts in decades. Available for only 24 hours (see the links on this page), the final print run of this card will be determined on demand.

The back of the card names Ohtani as “perhaps the most highly anticipated two-way player since Babe Ruth“, an auspicious but seemingly accurate analysis of the excitement he brings to the Angels franchise this season.

One spring training game shouldn’t erase any of that excitement, despite Ohtani’s struggles with his control. Of his 31 pitches, only 17 were thrown for strikes. A wild pitch in the first brought in the first run of the game and Ji-Man Shoi walked on four pitches.

Ohtani will, no doubt, be a major story for the rest of spring training as 29 other fan-bases hope that he’s not the double threat the Angels are banking on. His previous Topps Now card, released on December 14 to commemorate his signing, sold 17,323 copies and was the best selling Topps Now card of all time. Visit our 2018 Topps Now checklist to keep up with how his other cards sell over the course of the season.