Los Angeles Angels ace Shohei Ohtani stuck out 11 batters in a 8-0 victory over the Boston Red Sox this past Thursday. 81 of his 99 pitches went for strikes, and there were 29 swings-and-misses. It was a performance that left an impression on Boston skipper Alex Cora.
In fact, Cora was so impressed with Ohtani’s dominance, he immediately went home to re-watch it on tape.
“We don’t get mulligans but let’s give the guys a mulligan [for Thursday],” Cora told reporters, via Mass Live. “I watched the game and, unreal what that guy did. Stuff-wise, it’s probably the best I’ve seen against us since 2018. Let’s wash that one, if you guys let me.”
Ohtani didn’t just dominate on the mound, either. He also went 2-for-4 with an RBI and run scored. But it was the electric stuff Cora simply couldn’t get over.
“He was throwing 100 (mph) with a sweeping slider, with a curveball, with conviction,” Cora added. “Sometimes, you’ve got to tip your hat and move on.”
Cora took over as Red Sox manager in 2018, so he’s seen quite a few games in his time. Some of those include a no-hit loss to the Oakland A’s that same year but it simply doesn’t compare, Cora says. Ohtani is just different.
