SHOHEI OHTANI

It was back to business as usual for Shohei Ohtani on Friday.

Team USA captain Mike Trout said he had the time of his life "representing that USA on my chest" following Tuesday night's loss to Japan in the WBC.

This year’s World Baseball Classic left lasting memories, 47 games over two weeks that restored Japan’s supremacy and reinforced Shohei Ohtani’s unmatched ability while expanding the sport’s global footprint.

Japanese television stuck to its live coverage from Miami for almost two hours after Japan beat the United States 3-2 to win the World Baseball Classic.

Shohei Ohtani fanned LA Angels teammate Mike Trout for the final out in a matchup the baseball world wanted to see, leading Japan over the defending champion U.S. for the World Baseball Classic title.

Two-way star Shohei Ohtani struck out fellow Los Angeles Angels star Mike Trout to end the game. Ohtani was voted the WBC's MVP and called it "the best moment in my life."

Team USA fielded a World Baseball Classic roster brimming with All-Star names from Trea Turner to Mookie Betts to Mike Trout.

Japan is once again kings of baseball, taking home their third World Baseball Classic victory due to the heroic ninth inning efforts of none other than Shohei Ohtani.

Shohei Ohtani emerged from the bullpen and fanned Los Angeles Angels teammate Mike Trout for the final out in a matchup the whole baseball world wanted to see, leading Japan over the defending champion United States 3-2 for its first World Baseball Classic title since 2009.

Shohei Ohtani emerged from the bullpen and fanned Los Angeles Angels teammate Mike Trout for the final out in a matchup the whole baseball world wanted to see, leading Japan over the defending champion United States 3-2 for its first World Baseball Classic title since 2009.

Japan's clutching hitting got them back into the game against Mexico and eventually the win to move onto the World Baseball Classic final.

That matchup between Mike Trout and Shohei Ohtani in the World Baseball Classic may not happen.

Shohei Ohtani sparked a ninth-inning rally with a leadoff double, and Munetaka Murakami hit a walk-off, two-run double to lift Japan over Mexico 6-5 and into the World Baseball Classic final.

Luis Urías hit the go-ahead single in a three-run seventh inning that fueled Mexico’s 5-4 comeback victory over Puerto Rico to advance to its first-ever World Baseball Classic semifinals.

Many of Major League Baseball’s biggest stars like Mike Trout, Mookie Betts and Shohei Ohtani aren’t playing in spring training these days.

Shohei Ohtani pitched shutout ball into the fifth inning and sparked a four-run third with a bunt single, leading Japan over Italy 9-3 and into its fifth straight World Baseball Classic semifinal.

There a common thread running through the World Baseball Classic when opponents face Los Angeles Angels star Shohei Ohtani and his Japanese teammates.

Take the case of Czech Republic teammates William Escala and Ondrej Satoria, whose team was eliminated from the WBC on Monday in a 8-3 loss to Australia. Escala crumbled to the ground writhing in pain on Saturday when Japanese pitcher Roki Sasaki thumped his left leg with a 100 mph fastball. The 21-year-old Sasaki is a top pitching prospect in Japan, and threw 21 pitches at 100 mph or more against the Czechs.

Shohei Ohtani hit a three-run homer that landed just below his image on a video advertising board, sending Japan to a 7-1 victory over Australia in the World Baseball Classic.

Shohei Ohtani may be a perennial MVP candidate every year, but even he has a rough at-bat here and there - well, he had an unlikely strikeout in the World Baseball Classic.

St. Louis Cardinals outfielder Lars Nootbaar has suddenly become a popular star playing for Japan in the World Baseball Classic.

Kyle Schwarber launched a three-run homer, Nolan Arenado had three hits and two RBIs, and the United States overcame a slow start to beat Britain 6-2 in the World Baseball Classic opener for both teams.

Shohei Ohtani doubled and singled for his second straight two-hit game, and Japan overcame a three-run deficit to beat South Korea 13-4 for its second straight win at the World Baseball Classic.

Major league hitters are working with the sport's brightest minds to close the gap on a technology-driven pitching renaissance.

Japanese baseball player Shohei Ohtani is arguably the game's best player anywhere.

St. Louis Cardinals outfielder Lars Nootbaar just joined Japan's national team for the World Baseball Classic but he is already a big fan of Shohei Ohtani.

The 20-team World Baseball Classic got underway after a six-year absence with the Netherlands defeating Cuba 4-2 in a Group A game in Taiwan to open the tournament.

The only certainty about Major League Baseball's new rules for the 2023 season is that everyone is going to push and pull on them in search of an edge.

Los Angeles Angels two-way star Shohei Ohtani told reporters Thursday he's focused on the 2023 season as his impending free agency is around the corner.

Baseball's 2023 season begins with another celebration for the Houston Astros, and Jacob deGrom returns to New York on another big day on this year's major league schedule.

Where will Shohei Ohtani play next year? It's the biggest question in baseball in 2023, and our MLB staff has ranked all 30 teams' chances.

Angels owner Arte Moreno announced he plans to keep the team “throughout the 2023 season and beyond.”

Shohei Ohtani is arguably the best pitcher set to be in the 2024 MLB free-agent class. Which other notable hurlers could hit the market?

Shohei Ohtani is the clear best player available in the 2024 MLB free agent class. Which other position players could hit the market — and could we see a surprise entry?

Juan Soto, Pete Alonso and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. reached big-money agreements on one-year contracts as more than 100 players avoided salary arbitration with deals and 33 exchanged proposed figures with their teams.

Sports media is forecasting that Shohei Ohtani will bolt for the Los Angeles Dodgers after his contract with the Los Angeles Angels expires. There is speculation from reporters and analysts that the 28-year-old Japanese-born MLB star will move to a new team once he becomes a free agent after the 2023 season. Several predictions posit that Ohtani will sign with the Dodgers – the Los Angeles Times has even suggested that the Dodgers are going on a cost-saving strategy in preparation for Ohtani’s entrance into the free-agent pool.

New York Yankees slugger Aaron Judge has been voted The Associated Press Male Athlete of the Year.

It has been an epic holiday season already for several major league teams and players a year after baseball trudged through an ugly labor dispute.

Yankees slugger Aaron Judge was named the AL MVP on Thursday, winning the award after hitting a league-record 62 home runs.

After a record-breaking season that saw him in the Triple Crown race until the season's final days and break the AL home run record, Aaron Judge has been named the 2022 AL MVP.

Aaron Judge of the New York Yankees has won the American League MVP award, and St. Louis Cardinals slugger Paul Goldschmidt took the NL prize.

Los Angeles Angels superstar Shohei Ohtani has committed to playing for Japan in the upcoming 2023 World Baseball Classic.

Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred confirmed Thursday that Major League Baseball is looking into potentially improper communication between the New York Mets and Yankees regarding star free agent Aaron Judge.

In the hallways and meeting rooms of Resorts World, baseball general managers are starting to weigh bigger bets than the wagers placed on tables and machines in the casino downstairs.

New York Yankees slugger Aaron Judge highlights the MLB MVP Award finalists who were named on Monday. The winners will be announced on Nov. 17.

Aaron Judge, Shohei Ohtani and Yordan Alvarez are the finalists for American League MVP in voting by the Baseball Writers’ Association of America.

In fighting game series “Guilty Gear,” Joe Biden has been striking fear into the hearts of his rivals.

Bryce Harper and Mike Trout both came to the big leagues in the early 2010s and have grown from teenage sensations to mature superstars.

Japanese two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani arrived home on Tuesday and was critical of his Los Angeles Angels team missing the Major League Baseball playoffs again. In an interview at Tokyo's Haneda Airport, he said it was “a good season for me personally.” Without solid support for former AL MVPs Ohtani and Mike Trout, the Angels suffered a seventh consecutive losing season, and missed the playoffs for an eighth consecutive year.

Minnesota’s Luis Arraez finished with the lowest average for an American League batting champion since 1968, and the Mets’ Jeff McNeil won the National League title.

The Los Angeles Angels have hired Phil Nevin as manager for the 2023 season, removing his interim title and giving him a one-year contract before the final game of the regular season.

With the baseball postseason expanding to 12 teams this year, if two teams end up deadlocked for a division title or playoff spot, there will no longer be a one-game playoff to break those ties.

José Suarez of the Los Angeles Angels lost a perfect game in the seventh inning when the Texas Rangers’ Marcus Semien led off with a single.

Shohei Ohtani avoided arbitration on Saturday with a one-year deal that will make him the highest-paid arbitration-eligible player in MLB history.

Shohei Ohtani has agreed to a $30 million deal with the Los Angeles Angels for the 2023 season.

Los Angeles Angels pitcher and DH Shohei Ohtani took a no-hitter into the eighth inning before allowing a two-out single. Ohtani was also 2-4 at the plate with an RBI.

Two-way phenom Shohei Ohtani pitched no-hit ball into the eighth inning and extended his hitting streak to 14 games as he led the Los Angeles Angels over the Oakland Athletics 4-2.

Los Angeles Angels phenom Shohei Ohtani took a no-hitter into the eighth inning Thursday night against the Oakland Athletics before Conner Capel singled with two outs to break it up.

Los Angeles Angels phenom Shohei Ohtani took a no-hitter into the eighth inning Thursday night against the Oakland Athletics before Conner Capel singled with two outs to break it up. Capel hit a sharp grounder that deflected off sliding shortstop Livan Soto's glove and into left-center field. Dermis Garcia followed with a clean single to left before Ohtani retired Shea Langeliers on a grounder to third to end the inning.

Shohei Ohtani vs.

When Shohei Ohtani is pitching impressively and hitting over 30 homers, he might always be the MVP favorite unless another player in his league comes up with something awfully special. Ohtani vs. Aaron Judge for the American League MVP figures to be the most hotly debated postseason award this year. Judge is closing in on Roger Maris' AL record of 61 homers and might also win the Triple Crown.

Buster Posey has joined the San Francisco Giants ownership group less than a year after retiring.

Shohei Ohtani may be the best overall player in baseball but this season his chase for another MVP title may be thwarted by Aaron Judge's potentially record-setting home-run pace.

José Ramírez hit a tiebreaking two-run homer in the eighth inning, and the Cleveland Guardians beat the Los Angeles Angels 5-3 for their sixth consecutive victory.

Angels star Mike Trout’s streak of consecutive games hitting a home run ended at seven, one shy of the major league record, and the AL Central-leading Cleveland Guardians beat Los Angeles 3-1.

Angels star Mike Trout homered in his seventh consecutive game, one shy of the major league record, but the AL Central-leading Cleveland Guardians beat Los Angeles 5-4.

Mike Trout homered in his sixth straight game to set an Angels franchise record, Shohei Ohtani threw five solid innings before exiting because of a blister and Los Angeles beat the Houston Astros 6-1.

Mike Trout homered in his sixth straight game to set an Angels franchise record, Shohei Ohtani threw five solid innings before exiting because of a blister and Los Angeles beat the Houston Astros 6-1 on Saturday night. Trout hit his 34th homer, a three-run drive to left field in the second inning. The three-time AL MVP broke the club mark of five games in a row with a homer set by Bobby Bonds in 1977.

The MLB announced rule changes for the 2023 season that will implement a pitch clock, limit defensive shifts and increase base size.

Shohei Ohtani and Mike Trout homered in the same game for the eighth time this season during the Los Angeles Angels' 5-4 loss to the Detroit Tigers.

Pitching in mop-up duty for the Detroit Tigers, Kody Clemens fanned reigning AL MVP Shohei Ohtani for his first major league strikeout.

Kody Clemens will never catch his father in career strikeouts. The Detroit Tigers' rookie utility player — and son of seven-time Cy Young Award winner Roger Clemens — caught Shohei Ohtani looking late in Monday night's 10-0 loss to the Los Angeles Angels. Mopping up in the eighth inning, Clemens froze last year's AL MVP with a 68 mph pitch on the outside corner for his first major league strikeout and gave an exuberant strike three call on the mound.

Shohei Ohtani had his sixth multi-homer game of the season, Mike Trout also went deep and José Suarez threw three-hit ball over seven innings as the Los Angeles Angels routed the skidding Detroit Tigers 10-0.

After eight strong innings from Shohei Ohtani on Saturday night, the last thing Matt Duffy and the Los Angeles Angels wanted was to make sure that effort was in vain. Duffy's bloop single in the 12th inning drove in Taylor Ward with the winning run as the Angels rallied for a 2-1 victory over the Houston Astros. Earlier in the game, Ohtani reached 400 major league strikeouts.

Shohei Ohtani became the first player in major league history to hit 30 home runs and record 10 pitching wins in the same season as the Los Angeles Angels rallied for a 3-2 victory over the New York Yankees.

Aaron Judge hit a three-run shot for his 51st homer of the season, and the New York Yankees snapped their three-game losing streak with a 7-4 victory over the Los Angeles Angels.

Aaron Judge hit his 50th home run of the season but Shohei Ohtani also went deep during their MVP showdown, and the Los Angeles Angels held off the slumping New York Yankees 4-3.

Aaron Judge hit his 50th home run of the season but Shohei Ohtani also went deep during their MVP showdown, and the Los Angeles Angels held off the slumping New York Yankees 4-3 on Monday night. The top two candidates for AL MVP both delivered before a sellout crowd that included plenty of Yankees fans. Ohtani broke a 2-all tie in the fifth inning with his 29th homer, a two-run drive to right-center.

Mike Trout hit a two-run home run to become the highest-scoring player in Angels history, Reid Detmers and four relievers combined on a six-hitter, and Los Angeles halted a six-game losing streak by routing the Toronto Blue Jays 12-0 on Friday night. Jo Adell hit two home runs, Andrew Velasquez had a two-run blast, and Shohei Ohtani hit a two-run triple for the Angels, who came in having lost nine of 10. Trout scored his 1,025th run with the Angels with his 27th homer off left-hander Yusei Kikuchi in the eighth.

Los Angeles Angels owner Arte Moreno says he is exploring the possibility of selling the franchise.

Shohei Ohtani turned in his usual strong start. The Seattle Mariners scored four runs in a chaotic ninth inning, taking advantage of the Angels' fielding woes for a 6-2 victory over Los Angeles on Monday night. Jesse Winker and J.P. Crawford each had two hits and two RBIs for the Mariners, who vaulted over Toronto and Baltimore into the top wild-card spot in the AL.

The two-way sensation from Japan withstood another injury scare and pitched six scoreless innings to go with his team-leading 25th home run, reaching yet another monumental milestone as the Los Angeles Angels beat the Oakland Athletics 5-1 on Tuesday. Ohtani joined Babe Ruth (1918) as the only players in major league history to have at least 10 home runs and 10 wins in the same season. According to the Angels, two players from the Negro Leagues also did it: Bullet Rogan of the 1922 Kansas City Monarchs and Ed Rile of the 1927 Detroit Stars.

Los Angeles Angels superstar Shohei Ohtani was a man of his word Tuesday night — even the ones he spoke in English. The two-way Japanese All-Star called his shot before leading off the Midsummer Classic at Dodger Stadium, telling Fox's Tom Verducci in the on-deck circle that he was going to jump on Clayton Kershaw quickly. Sure enough, Ohtani flared a 90.9 mph fastball off the Los Angeles Dodgers ace up the middle for a base hit.

Shohei Ohtani is putting to rest any doubts anyone might have had about whether he could exceed what he accomplished during last year's AL MVP campaign. The two-way Japanese phenom won his sixth straight start by striking out 12 in six innings and also hit a two-run triple in the Los Angeles Angels’ 7-1 victory over the Houston Astros on Wednesday night. Over his last six starts, Ohtani has allowed only three runs (two earned) and 20 hits in 39 2/3 innings with 58 strikeouts and 11 walks.

Even the mighty Houston Astros are not immune to occasional bouts of comprehensive ineptitude, as they demonstrated while blowing a four-run lead in the seventh inning Tuesday night with two errors, a hit batter with the bases loaded and a passed ball. The Astros still had plenty of time to recover against an opponent that's been largely inept for two full months now. Kyle Tucker delivered a tiebreaking RBI double in the ninth inning, and the Astros rallied for a 6-5 victory over the spiraling Los Angeles Angels.

Los Angeles Angels pitcher and batter Shohei Ohtani proved again that he is a force to be reckoned with after pulling a jaw-dropping two-way feat in two nights. Ohtani, 27, had one of the best offensive games of his career so far on Tuesday. The athlete went 3-of-4 against the Kansas City Royals, with two home runs and a career-high eight RBIs (run batted in).

Noah Syndergaard was rocked in his return to New York, giving up Matt Carpenter’s two-run homer in a four-run first inning that propelled the Yankees over the reeling Los Angeles Angels 9-1 Tuesday night. Starting a high-profile three-game series against Shohei Ohtani, Mike Trout & Co., New York improved the American League’s best record to 34-14 and sent the Angels (27-23) to their season-worst sixth straight loss. Jordan Montgomery (1-1) pitched four-hit ball for seven innings, allowing Luis Rengifo’s seventh-inning homer on a hanging curveball.

Shohei Ohtani hit his first grand slam in professional baseball on a two-homer night, and the surging Los Angeles Angels beat the Tampa Bay Rays 11-3 on Monday. Ohtani had a solo shot in the sixth inning off Jalen Beeks. In the eighth, he connected on a 3-1 cutter from Calvin Faucher, who was making his big-league debut, and sent it over the wall in left field for his sixth homer and the Angels' third grand slam this season.

Shohei Ohtani was winless with a 5.92 ERA in six starts against the Houston Astros entering Wednesday's start. Watching the superstar's performance from his perch in the dugout, Los Angeles Angels manager Joe Maddon could feel Ohtani was determined to change his fortunes against the Astros on Wednesday night. “I think he just had enough of Houston giving him a hard time and he wanted to go out there tonight and do something about it, both on the mound and at the plate," Maddon said.

After protracted negotiations between Major League Baseball's owners and players led to a 99-day lockout, baseball officially begins with new rules and new faces.

Major League Baseball's free-agent frenzy was fun while it lasted. Now that the dust has settled, some of the biggest moves weren't a huge surprise: Freddie Freeman is closer to home with the Dodgers, Nick Castellanos chose the Phillies while Trevor Story picked the Red Sox. Other signings were more unexpected: The Twins swooped in to snag star shortstop Carlos Correa while Kris Bryant surprised most of baseball after his big deal with the Rockies.

Major League Baseball's lockout is now in its third month. What happens now that Commissioner Rob Manfred has canceled the first week of the season?

Kudos to those who wagered correctly on Colts running back Jonathan Taylor and mixed martial artist Rose Namajunas.

Los Angeles Angels two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani won the AP Male Athlete of the Year award, racking up another award after a magical season.

Even Shohei Ohtani, arguably the best player in the major leagues, feels down at times, particularly when his team isn't winning. Sharing his mental state was among the few small nuggets Ohtani revealed in an hour-long interview on Monday at the Japan National Press Club. Ohtani is under contract for next season at $5.5 million, which will be his highest annual salary thus far.

SportsPulse: USA TODAY Sports' Bob Nightengale tells us what makes this World Series victory so special for the Atlanta Braves.

Shohei Ohtani sparked a four-run sixth-inning rally with his legs, and the Los Angeles Angels beat Texas 7-2 on Wednesday night to send the Rangers to their first 100-loss season since 1973. With the score 2-2, Ohtani led off the sixth with a sharp grounder to first baseman Nathaniel Lowe and beat pitcher Taylor Hearn to the bag. Ohtani stole second, continued to third on a throwing error by catcher Jose Trevino and came home when Jack Mayfield singled through a drawn-in infield.

Shohei Ohtani has thrown his final pitch this season for the Los Angeles Angels, and the two-way All-Star will focus on his at-bats in the final few games. “There’s really nothing left to prove on the mound,” manager Joe Maddon said Wednesday. Ohtani then went out and set another offensive milestone, becoming the first American League player with at least 100 runs scored, 45 homers and 25 stolen bases in the same season, after he went 2 for 5 with a run and two stolen bases in a 7-2 victory at Texas on Wednesday night.

The town of Blevio, Italy, cleaned up after flash flooding and landslides swept through the area on Sept. 29.

Supply chain issues are worsening as ports face a cargo backlog months ahead of the holiday season. Carter Evans reports.