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Shohei Ohtani strikes out the side in the first inning of his home pitching debut

By Bill BaerApr 8, 2018, 4:39 PM EST
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Athletics P/DH Shohei Ohtani made his home pitching debut on Sunday afternoon against the Athletics. The right-hander threw 15 pitches, striking out Matt Joyce, Marcus Semien, and Jed Lowrie to get through the first inning easily. The Angels gave Ohtani a two-run lead in the bottom half of the inning.

Ohtani made his major league pitching debut last Sunday in Oakland, yielding three runs on three hits and a walk with six strikeouts across six innings.

On the hitting side of things, Ohtani has homered in three consecutive games. He’s very talented.

Brewers, Jimmy Nelson avoid arbitration with one-year, $3.7 million contract

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By Bill BaerDec 13, 2018, 12:03 AM EST
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Tom Haudricourt of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports that the Brewers and starter Jimmy Nelson have avoided arbitration, agreeing to a one-year, $3.7 million contract. The deal includes a $50,000 bonus if he wins Comeback Player of the Year Award, per Fancred’s Jon Heyman.

Nelson, 29, was entering his second of three years of arbitration eligibility. The right-hander missed the entire 2018 season after undergoing shoulder surgery in September 2017. He had a solid 2017 season, finishing with a 3.49 ERA and a 199/48 K/BB ratio in 1751/3 innings of work. The Brewers are hoping he can return to form this coming season.

Assuming he’s healthy and productive, he will rejoin a rotation that now includes Jhoulys Chacin, Chase Anderson, Zach Davis, and an as yet undecided No. 5 starter.