White Sox vs. Angels Wednesday MLB odds, props: Shohei Ohtani could be in question with cracked nail, now running away with AL MVP
Shohei Ohtani had another amazing game for the Angels on Tuesday.
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Things have gotten to the point that if you don't tune in for a Los Angeles Angels game when Shohei Ohtani is pitching and hitting, it's on you for potentially missing MLB history. Ohtani had an epic game on the mound and at the plate in Tuesday's win over the White Sox and will return to his DH role tonight – if a cracked nail doesn't keep him out. Perhaps the Angels do use that injury as an excuse to rest their dual-threat star, but he's +300 at Caesars Sportsbook to go yard again vs. Chicago.
In the 4-2 victory on Tuesday, Ohtani got the win after allowing one earned run and four hits with 10 strikeouts over 6.1 innings on the mound. He also hit two homers and reached base all four times he came up to the plate. He's up to 28 dingers on the year, three ahead of second-place Matt Olson of Atlanta. Ohtani became just the sixth pitcher with at least 10 strikeouts and two homers in a game since the mound moved to its current distance in 1893. Here are the others:
Ohtani is the first player since 1900 to record 10 strikeouts and three hits in multiple games in a single season. He now has five three-hit performances in games in which he was the starting pitcher, joining Warren Spahn (1958) and George Uhle (1923) as the only players to attain that many in a single season. Ohtani is the first pitcher since Wise in August of 1973 to hit a homer in at least three games he's started as a pitcher in a single month. The Japanese superstar isn't expected to pitch again until next Monday at the earliest.
In addition, Ohtani is the sixth player in AL/NL history to record at least 90 hits, 25 HRs and 10 stolen bases through the month of June. Of the previous five players, three went on to win MVP that season. Ohtani is now the runaway -650 favorite for AL MVP at Caesars; Aaron Judge is next at +3300 and who knows when he might return from that toe injury. To win the Cy Young, Ohtani is down to a +950 fifth favorite. Tampa Bay's Shane McClanahan leads at +250.
Ohtani leads the majors in home runs, OPS (1.039) and RBI (64), while ranking 15th among 65 qualified pitchers in ERA (3.02), third in strikeouts (127) and first in opponents' batting average against (.180).
So why might Ohtani sit tonight? For one, if the team is going to do it history has largely shown it would be either the day before or day after one of his starts on the mound. Second, he left Tuesday's game as a pitcher due to a cracked nail on what was later revealed to be his right middle finger. Yet not long after, Ohtani hit his second homer of the night as the DH, so perhaps it won't be an issue. He bats left-handed and pitches right-handed.
He is 7-for-23 with three homers career off White Sox starter Lucas Giolito. Incidentally, Ohtani has yet to decide if he will compete in this year's Home Run Derby at the All-Star Game. Ohtani participated in the 2021 Home Run Derby in Denver. He lost to Juan Soto 31-28 in the second swing-off in the first round. Ohtani will start the All-Star Game at DH again.
Giolito (5-5, 3.41 ERA) is a trade candidate if the White Sox don't turn their season around soon. He's pending free agent. The right-hander has been very good this month with a 1.50 ERA. He beat the visiting Angels on May 30, allowing three earned runs over five innings. Giolito is 3-1 with a 3.97 ERA (20 ER/45.1 IP) in eight career starts vs. the Angels.
Los Angeles counters with Jaime Barria (2-2, 2.14 ERA). Since April 8, he ranks third in the majors with a 1.48 ERA. Barria won in Chicago on May 31, allowing a run over five innings. He's 1-2 with a 3.98 ERA in 20.1 career innings against the White Sox.
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