Shohei Ohtani Doesn't Have It In Highly Touted Bronx Appearance

Angels pitcher/slugger/phenom Shohei Ohtani made a much-anticipated start Wednesday night, taking the hill in Yankee Stadium for the first time. His Bronx debut quickly turned memorable, just not for the Angels. After essentially pitching batting practice for the Yankees, Ohtani was replaced before the end of the first inning, tossing 41 pitches.

The evening before, Ohtani belted home runs number 27 and 28 against the Yanks to claim the Major League lead. Hoping to ride his hot streak, Ohtani was penciled in as Los Angeles' leadoff hitter Wednesday, with the team electing to waive the DH. In a sign of things to come, the game started with an Ohtani fly out in the top of the first inning. Despite the early out, Ohtani became just the fourth MLB player since 1900 to bat leadoff and start at pitcher in the same game.

After giving up seven runs, the most he's allowed in his career, he earned a sarcastic standing ovation from the New York crowd when he was taken out of the game:

He's hardly the first person to be roughed up in the Bronx (on or off the diamond), and he won't be the last. Ohtani entered the game with a 3-1 record, posting a 2.58 ERA and 82 strikeouts. Those numbers are going to look a little different come Thursday morning though.

UPDATE: Speaking of numbers looking differently, The Angels rallied with a seven-run ninth to take an 11-8 victory. The Yanks' had an 8-4 lead before Aroldis Chapman walked the bases loaded, then gave up a grand slam tp Jared Walsh, his second HR of the game. That tied it at 8-8, and the Halos tacked on three more to send the Yanks to what will probably hold up as their worst loss of the year.