It was a one-off faceoff between Shohei Ohtani and Yusei Kikuchi in the spring training game yesterday. There is a unique bond between the two athletes. Both Kikuchi and Ohtani attended Japan’s Hanamaki Higashi High School, and yet again, they are on the same field. Up until last year, Ohtani’s career batting average against Kikuchi in MLB was .300 (7 hits in 23 at-bats), with 3 home runs and 5 RBIs. While the numbers are nothing extraordinary, Ohtani scored his first home run of 2025 against Kikuchi yesterday. 

Anthing to do with Shohei Ohtani gets hype, and his first home run of the season is no exception. Enough critical analysis was done on the shot, and guess what? Insiders are blaming Kikuchi’s pitch. For those unaware, Kikuchi delivered a four-seam fastball at 93.9 mph, and Ohtani hit a strong swing to knock a home run over the left-field wall.

The Angels pitcher did not want to begin with a walk, especially against a respected senpai, calling it “unthinkable.”

“First off, the most “unthinkable” thing was giving up a walk. In an exhibition game where you can face the world’s best player without worrying about the outcome, there’s nothing more wasteful than a walk. On top of that, it was my first batter wearing an Angels uniform. Starting with a walk was simply out of the question.”

“Will I use the same pitch during the season? That’s a completely different story. We just wanted to enjoy the game. Because the player standing in front of us is the world’s best,” said Kikuchi, taking over the microblogging site X.

Kikuchi allowed Betts to reach first base with an infield single after allowing Ohtani to hit a home run. Although it’s rare to throw a high pitch ball when the scoreboard was 3-2, spring games are known for these unexpected turns. 

“A fastball thrown with full effort, perfectly crushed in the first at-bat of an exhibition game. One word: incredible. It’s insanely frustrating, but I think that’s how it should be. I absolutely don’t mean to defy the veterans.”

Well, that’s a direct response to put to rest all the discussions going on about why the catcher asked for a high pitch. Baseball insiders Koji Uehara and Kimiyasu Kudo went on to say the pitch “impossible”, in their commentary with Nikkansports. Yusei Kikuchi is right here: the spring games are all about enjoying the vibe and experimenting without the fear of repercussions. 

The Angels are stronger with Kikuchi and others

Now that both the Angels and Dodgers got to read each other, it’s time to get into the regular season and splash. Are the Angels ready to take on the Dodgers and other teams at the biggest stage? They finished the 2024 season with a record of 63–99, placing them in last place in the AL West. This year, to strengthen their pitching staff and offense, the Angels have been active in the offseason, acquiring players like lefty Yusei Kikuchi and slugger Jorge Soler. However, given their young core and the need for ongoing development, the team’s success will largely depend on how well these new additions perform on the field.

The Angels will need to keep developing their young core since players like Mike Trout and Anthony Rendon have struggled to stay on the field in recent years. While Trout will play as a designated hitter and may score more runs on the board, Rendon is off the scene with an injury. Hence, it’s all about the fresh faces getting along with the veterans to make things fall into place.

Yusei Kikuchi is surely not going to pitch the same in the regular season. It was just a teaser about the variations that are coming to the batsmen this year. 

What do you think about Kikuchi’s pitch to Ohtani in yesterday’s game? Share your views with us below.