It’s virtually impossible to replace everything Shohei Ohtani can do when he’s on a baseball field, though the Los Angeles Angels gave their best for a few minutes on Tuesday.
With Ohtani unavailable for team photo day as he continues to be examined for oblique pain that surfaced Monday, the team placed a body double in a number 17 jersey and lined him up in the outfield with the rest of the team. players.
After the photo was taken, the Ohtani imposter was led out of a tunnel behind the left field wall.
During his pregame session with the media, Angels manager Phil Nevin was asked if the body double, with a strikingly similar frame to Ohtani, could possibly throw or hit.
“Shohei will be in the picture when you see it,” Nevin said with a smile, suggesting that someone’s Photoshop skills be put to use.
Unfortunately, it could be the only time Ohtani’s number 17 takes the field on Tuesday. He was out of the lineup against the Baltimore Orioles for the second straight day due to his latest injury, though Nevin would not confirm or deny whether his star hitter could possibly make a pinch hit in the late innings.
“Maybe,” Nevin said. “I can’t give you all my secrets.”
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