Shohei Ohtani says he plans to hit, pitch in relief in WBC final

MIAMI — The dream matchup of Shohei Ohtani pitching to Mike Trout could become reality Tuesday night.

Ohtani plans to hit and pitch in the finals of the World Baseball Classic against Team USA, he said after spearheading Japan's rollicking 6-5 come-from-behind semifinal win against Mexico on Monday night, though his time on the mound will come in an unfamiliar role: as a relief pitcher.

The last time Ohtani pitched out of the bullpen was in 2016, when he was 22 years old and in the postseason with the Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters. Ohtani threw one blemish-free inning and unleashed a pair of fastballs clocked at 165 kilometers per hour — approximately 102.5 mph, harder than any pitch he has thrown in his five seasons with the Los Angeles Angels.

Ohtani last started five days ago, throwing 71 pitches in Samurai Japan's quarterfinal victory against Italy. Never since he arrived in Major League Baseball has Ohtani thrown on four or fewer days of rest, putting him in a position to follow Japan's starter, left-hander Shota Imanaga, as well as San Diego Padres star Yu Darvish, who is expected to throw in the middle innings.

All of it sets up the possibility of Ohtani standing 60 feet, 6 inches from his friend and teammate Trout, the captain of the powerful U.S. team that trounced Cuba in the semifinals, 14-2.

«Not only Mike Trout, but one through nine in that order is filled with superstars, household names,» Ohtani said. «Just excited to face that lineup. It's a great thing for Japanese baseball.»

The game between Japan and Mexico was a great thing for any fan of the game — taut, tense, crisp, with moment after heroic moment. Ohtani featured in the most imperative. Japan, which had come back from a 3-0 deficit with a three-run