Mike Trout and Shohei Ohtani continue to get little help. The Los Angeles Angels stars were the only two players on the team to get a hit in Friday's 4-3 loss against the Toronto Blue Jays. In doing so, Trout and Ohtani replicated a feat that hadn't been done in six decades.
Mike Trout hit a two-run home run in the Angels‘ defeat. Shohei Ohtani had two hits in four at-bats, including a double. The rest of the team went hitless. They became the first pair of MVP teammates to record an extra-base hit while the rest of the team went hitless since Mickey Mantle and Roger Maris did it for the New York Yankees on May 6, 1962.
The Angels are the first MLB team to have a pair of former MVPs (Shohei Ohtani, Mike Trout) each get an extra-base hit but have the rest of the team go hitless since the Yankees did it with Mickey Mantle and Roger Maris on May 6, 1962.
— OptaSTATS (@OptaSTATS) April 8, 2023
Unlike the 2023 Angels, the 1962 Yankees were the defending World Series champions and went on to win a second straight title that season. Trout and Ohtani have yet to reach the playoffs as teammates with the Angels, let alone make the World Series.
The loss dropped the Angels to 4-3 through one week in the 2023 MLB season. Los Angeles is tied with the Seattle Mariners for the best record in the AL West. All five teams in the division are separated by just two games.
Maybe this year will be different and the Angels will compete for a playoff spot. Los Angeles went 77-85 in Ohtani's 2021 MVP season. As the MVP runner-up last year, Ohtani could only lead the Angels to a 73-89 record. Trout hit 40 home runs in 119 games and finished eighth in the 2022 AL MVP race.
Both Ohtani and Trout have gotten off to hot starts this year. In addition to his two home runs and 1.014 OPS, Ohtani has given up one run and struck out 18 batters in 12.0 innings pitched. Trout is hitting .348/.531/.696 with a pair of homers.
Taylor Ward has a .961 OPS in a team-high 30 at-bats. No other Angels starter has an OPS north of .679.
Follow Us
Subscribe