MESA, Ariz. -- Shohei Ohtani featured an upper-90s fastball and a wipeout splitter in his spring pitching debut Friday, a 41-pitch outing that seemed to validate the Los Angeles Angels' hopes that he can contribute as a two-way player this season.
Ohtani, pitching two days after unleashing a 486-foot home run to straightaway center field, struck out five of the 10 Oakland Athletics batters he faced, the last three on splitters that dropped well below the strike zone.
The right-hander issued two walks, gave up three hits -- two of which went for extra bases -- and was removed with two outs in the second inning because the Angels had set a 40-pitch limit.