A large contingent of scouts and executives from major league teams was anticipated to be in attendance Wednesday for what is expected to be Shohei Otani’s final start in Japan. His Nippon Ham Fighters did not make the playoffs, so this was going to be the last game action in Otani’s abbreviated season.
He had made just four starts in a season hampered by a hamstring injury and had a 4.96 ERA. But if that has dimmed MLB enthusiasm for the player considered both the best pitcher and hitter in Japan, I have yet to hear it expressed.