The 24-year-old left-hander learned a lot by watching Ohtani over the last three years.
Reid Detmers was the only one on camera Tuesday, but he could have been speaking for the bulk of the Angels’ pitching staff.
For the last six years, there was an obvious language barrier between Shohei Ohtani and all his teammates, none of whom were native Japanese speakers. As the only full-time two-way player in baseball, Ohtani set an example for every other player on the Angels’ roster in some way.
To hear Detmers tell it, Ohtani’s example required little explanation. It transcended the language barrier. As one of the best hitters and pitchers in the American League, merely watching Ohtani prepare offered his teammates a glimpse into the work ethic required to be the best player in baseball.
That, more than anything, is what Detmers said he would miss most about Ohtani in a Tuesday interview with “Foul Territory.”
.@Angels LHP Reid Detmers discusses the team's young core, and what he's going to miss about watching Shohei Ohtani
▶️ https://t.co/ULUda7V8oD pic.twitter.com/xSYivzSa3f
— Foul Territory (@FoulTerritoryTV) January 16, 2024
“Obviously Shohei’s unbelievable. The way he went about his business was crazy. I don’t know how he did both, to be honest with you, but he made it look easy. On the pitching side, he doesn’t really talk a whole lot. He’s very quiet, keeps to himself, but you learn a lot from watching him, the way he goes about his bullpens and in the weight room, honestly. That’s the part that I’m going to miss the most: watching his bullpens, watching him play catch.”
Detmers, 24, is 12-19 with a 4.37 ERA in parts of three seasons in Anaheim since his 2021 debut. Entering what could be third full season in the major leagues, Detmers is among the longest-tenured pitchers on an Angels staff that includes Patrick Sandoval, Griffin Canning, Tyler Anderson, and Chase Silseth.
All of them will be left to apply the lessons they learned while watching Ohtani, who was 38-19 with a 3.01 ERA in 86 starts during his time with the Angels. Ohtani signed a free agent contract with the Dodgers in December.
The Angels still have about a month before pitchers and catchers report to spring training, but the Ohtani-sized hole in their roster will be impossible to replace.
