Los Angeles Angels two-way star Shohei Ohtani surrendered five runs without recording a single out in a 6-4 loss to the Oakland Athletics on Sunday as he made his highly-anticipated return to the mound following his rookie season right-elbow surgery.
Making his first start since September 2018, Ohtani was tagged with the loss for allowing the runs on three hits and three walks at Oakland Coliseum.
Ohtani struggled with his control and recorded the shortest outing of his pro career. He surrendered a leadoff single and three straight walks to allow the Athletics to open the scoring.
He then gave up a two-run single to Mark Canha before surrendering an RBI single to the next batter and getting knocked out of the game.
"The No. 1 goal was to win the game rather than my performance," Ohtani told reporters after the game.
"I wanted to calm myself down by recording one out before focusing on other things (in the game), and that didn't work out well," he said. "I would, of course, like to reflect on the aspects that I need to reflect on. We still have games from tomorrow so I will focus on batting."
Mike Trout's three-run, third-inning home run put the Angels on the scoreboard but it was not enough to lift the visitors.
The 26-year-old Ohtani, who bats left and pitches right, underwent Tommy John elbow ligament surgery in October 2018 and played last season exclusively as a designated hitter.
At Guaranteed Rate Field in Chicago, Minnesota Twins right-hander Kenta Maeda picked up the win in his first start of the season as his team defeated the Chicago White Sox 14-2.
The Japanese gave up two runs on four hits and a walk while striking out six of the 20 batters he faced.
"I was more nervous than usual. I was able to show good form with the support from my team," said Maeda, who joined the Twins during the off-season from the Los Angeles Dodgers.
"I was able to kick off the season well with my first start for my new team."
Designated hitter Nelson Cruz had a three-run double and a pair of home runs to lead the Twins to their second win of the delayed and shortened season.
At Minute Maid Park, lefty Yusei Kikuchi surrendered five runs on five hits and four walks, while fanning four over 3-2/3 innings in the Seattle Mariners' 7-6 win over the Houston Astros.
Kikuchi did not get the decision as the Mariners came from behind thanks to a three-run eighth inning.
At Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Florida, Japanese rookie Shun Yamaguchi was tagged with the loss in his major league debut as the Toronto Blue Jays suffered a 6-5 walk-off defeat to the Tampa Bay Rays.
Taking the mound in the 10th as the Blue Jays' seventh reliever, he walked one batter and allowed Kevin Kiermaier a two-run triple.
Under an adjustment made by the Major League Baseball in response to the novel coronavirus pandemic, games include a form of the international tiebreak rule and start extra innings with a runner on second.
"I was really excited. I thought my season finally opened," Yamaguchi said. "When I took the mound, I imagined myself holding batters down and getting by."
"The result is what you see, this is my level right now," he added. "I understand that I'm in a position where I need to produce good results."
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