Angels' Shohei Ohtani clear to start as scheduled Wednesday - ESPN

Los Angeles Angels star Shohei Ohtani's hand is feeling better and he will make his next start as scheduled on Wednesday at home against the San Francisco Giants, manager Phil Nevin said.

Ohtani went only four innings in a 5-3 loss to the Seattle Mariners on Thursday night due to cramping in his pitching hand and fingers. He said the cramping was largely in his right middle finger.

Ohtani struggled with a finger blister and a fingernail problem for a few starts last month, but Nevin said those issues aren't related to the cramping problems Ohtani had Thursday night.

Ohtani, who leads the majors with 40 home runs, was in the lineup as the designated hitter Saturday night against Seattle.

When asked if a day off might help Ohtani, Nevin said Friday that Ohtani hasn't asked for one.

«He wants to be out there,» Nevin said. «He takes great care of his body. You can't predict when the cramps gonna come up, especially where it happened to be in his middle finger last night.»

Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.