The Shohei Ohtani-Mike Trout one-two punch is considered one of the most dangerous combinations in all of baseball. Pitchers must wish they had called in sick when they see Mike Trout approach the plate with Shohei Ohtani on deck. It's almost unfair to have these two superstars on the same team.
Trout returned from injury Friday, and the supremely talented stars have reunited. The Los Angeles Angels are looking like a more competitive team with the dynamic duo in place. During the team's 4-3 win against the New York Yankees, a pic of Ohtani and Trout celebrating went viral.
The pic seems to be timed perfectly. As Ohtani approached the plate after hitting his 29th home run of the season, Trout was waiting to congratulate him. The flames coming out of the rock formation in center field make this a picture-perfect shot. The photos were also shared on the Angels Twitter account to the delight of Angels fans.
These guys are not your average baseball players. Combined, they have 12 All-Star appearances and four MVPs. Both players also won the American League Rookie of the Year Award.
Since Mike Trout's return, the team looks rejuvinated. They won his first four games back, including an impressive 4-3 win over the mighty New York Yankees.
Mike Trout and Shohei Ohtani reunion has sparked the Angels to a 4-1 record in their last 5 games
This season, Trout has a .271/.363/.597 slash line with an impressive .960 OPS. The right-handed slugger also has 28 home runs and 58 RBIs. That's not bad considering he missed large parts of the season with injuries and has played in only 90 games.
Shohei Ohtani, meanwhile, has picked up right where he left off last year. The reigning American League MVP is in contention to win consecutive MVPs. If Aaron Judge were not in the midst of a record-breaking season with the New York Yankees, Ohtani would most likely be the frontrunner for the award.
Ohtani is hitting .269/.360./.525 on the season with a .885 OPS. He has 29 home runs and 79 RBIs. That ranks him in the top five of the home run category and top 20 in the RBI category in the AL.
This photo of Ohtani and Trout's celebration is an historic treasure. It is a work of art that captures two Angel greats in their prime. MLB fans have been quick to point out that the duo are yet to make an impact in the postseason.
The Angels are 56-74 and look certain to miss the playoffs for the eighth consecutive season. Fans had to watch in frustration as the Angels wasted the talents of two of baseball's greats due to mismanagement.
With trade rumors swirling around the league that Shohei Ohtani will move on from the Angels, this dynamic duo may break up sooner rather than later. For now though, let’s enjoy two of the greatest to ever play the game while we still can.