Shohei Ohtani pulled for pinch hitter in 9th due to cramps

Los Angeles Angels star Shohei Ohtani hit his major-league-leading 39th home run Friday night against the Toronto Blue Jays but was removed from the game for the second straight day because of cramps.

Manager Phil Nevin said afterward that Ohtani was taken out because of cramps in both calves and that he would be reevaluated Saturday. A day earlier, Ohtani left the second game of a doubleheader at Detroit because of cramps.

Asked about a possible injured list stint for Ohtani, Nevin said, “We’re not even thinking of that.”

“We’ll evaluate it tomorrow when he gets up,” Nevin said. “It’s just cramping right now. It’s kind of in both legs. He’s done a lot of work the last two days and wasn’t able to go.”

Ohtani returned to the starting lineup at DH on Saturday.

Ohtani threw a one-hitter in the opener against the Tigers on Thursday for his first career MLB shutout then homered twice in the second game.

Nevin said Ohtani’s soreness Friday night developed after he grounded out to begin the eighth.

“He came in and was trying to get some work done and just kept cramping up,” Nevin said.

Ohtani was replaced by pinch hitter Michael Stefanic when his at-bat came up with the bases loaded in the ninth inning. Stefanic struck out looking at a 3-2 pitch from right-hander Jordan Romano as Toronto won 4-1 to end the Angels’ four-game winning streak.

After being greeted with a loud ovation from the sellout crowd of 42,106 on Friday, Ohtani homered on the first pitch he faced, going deep in three straight at-bats over two games.

Ohtani’s 397-foot drive Friday came off Blue Jays right-hander Kevin Gausman. His streak of homers ended when he struck out swinging on a 2-2 pitch from Gausman in the third. Ohtani singled in the sixth and grounded out against left-hander Tim Mayza in the eighth.

Before the game, Nevin said Ohtani would get an extra day of rest before his next start, which was scheduled for Thursday’s home game against the Seattle Mariners.

Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.