It’s not too often Shohei Ohtani looks frustrated on a baseball field.
The two-way Angels superstar is known for his dazzling play and upbeat attitude.
That’s why it was a surprise when he appeared to shout a couple of F-bombs following a questionable call from umpire Phil Cuzzi on Saturday night.
As Ohtani stepped up to the plate with two runners on base and two outs against the Mariners in the bottom of the fifth inning, he was retired on a slider from Seattle reliever Gabe Speier that appeared to land off the plate.
He was immediately seen shaking his head at Cuzzi, and lip readers spotted the incensed Angels slugger shouting “f–k” a number of times as he made his way to the dugout and clubhouse.
Ohtani, who owns a .930 OPS this year at the plate and a 3.32 ERA on the mound, had already launched a home run on Saturday night, and the at-bat in the bottom of the fifth inning presented him with the chance to tie the game with another blast.
Angels manager Phil Nevin, a former Yankees third-base coach, made sure to let Cuzzi hear it after the strikeout.
Nevin, who Cuzzi ejected from the dugout, engaged the umpire in an animated argument and even dug up some of the dirt next to home plate in an effort to show just how far the pitch was off the plate.
Nevin, who was also tossed from a game at Yankee Stadium this April, defended his outburst after the game.
“I can’t see in or out from my spot in the dugout, but I go off my players’ reactions and I usually don’t see Shohei show that kind of emotion,” he said.
The Angels, who trail the Rangers by 6.5 games in the AL West, went on the lose the game 6-2.
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