AFP, LOS ANGELESJapanese pitcher and designated hitter Shohei Ohtani should bat more often for the Los Angeles Angels when he returns from two major operations, new Angels manager Joe Maddon said. Maddon, who in 2016 guided the Chicago Cubs to their first Major League Baseball title since 1908, spent 31 seasons with the Angels before taking manager jobs in Tampa Bay and Chicago. In October last year, he inked a three-year deal to rejoin the Angels. Ohtani has not typically batted on the days before or after he pitches, but Maddon is looking to change that in the 2020 campaign. “Wouldn’t the fans dig on that?”Ohtani has batted .286 with 40 home runs and 123 runs batted in more than 210 career MLB appearances as a designated hitter.

Source: Taipei Times January 04, 2020 15:56 UTC