Shohei Ohtani’s superstar rise no surprise to Marlins reliever who played with him in Japan
Among the items nestled in Anthony Bass’ locker in the visiting team clubhouse at Angel Stadium is a black and gold jersey from his one season playing overseas.
He hopes his teammate that most people remember from that roster will sign it over the course of the next two days.
It was 2016 when Bass made his way to Japan and played for the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters of the Nippon Professional Baseball league. It was a year that helped the reliever resurrect his Major League Baseball career, one that now has him playing in his second year with the Miami Marlins.
It also gave him a front-row seat to the burgeoning career of one of MLB’s current superstars in two-way player and reigning American League Most Valuable Player Shohei Ohtani.
“Really special,” Bass said.
That applies to both Ohtani and the experience of playing in Japan.
Nippon-Ham won the league championship that series. Bass was a regular on the pitching staff, appearing in 37 games and pitching to a 3.65 ERA with 71 strikeouts against 47 walks over 103 2/3 innings.
But watching Ohtani’s rise in person added another layer to the experience and left no doubt in his mind that the Japanese star was going to excel when he made his way to MLB two years later.
“I always call him a 10-tool player,” Bass said Monday before the Marlins began their two-game series against the Angels to cap a season-opening five-game road trip. “He can fly down the line. Obviously he’s got a tremendous arm. Throws 102 [mph]. He’s got stupid power at the plate. It’s like a video game character.”
He certainly has put up video-game numbers over his career. He was the Pacific League MVP that 2016 season in Japan. On the mound, he had a 1.86 ERA with 174 strikeouts against 45 walks over 140 innings in 21 games (including four complete games). As a hitter, he posted a .322 batting average with 22 home runs, 67 RBI and 65 runs scored in 382 plate appearances.
When healthy, he has shown that same success since making his MLB debut in 2018. He entered Monday with a career .883 on-base-plus-slugging mark, 93 home runs, 247 RBI, 55 stolen bases and 237 runs scored as a hitter and a 3.49 ERA with 231 strikeouts against 75 walks over 188 1/3 innings.
“You see the highlights,” Marlins manager Don Mattingly said. “Just for somebody to be able to do what he’s doing on the pitching side and at the plate, it’s pretty amazing he’s able to do both at a really high level. We’ll get a chance to see him and hopefully we can keep him keep him cool and he can get hot afterwards.”
And while the eye-popping statistics stand out, that’s secondary in Bass’ eye. Rather, it’s Ohtani’s humbleness even as his stardom grows.
Bass saw it in Japan, when the team flew commercial and the crowd wanting to see Ohtani in public “was like if LeBron James was walking around the airport.” Nippon-Ham teammates would try to playfully “get under his skin” to get Ohtani to brag about himself. It rarely worked.
The one wise crack that Bass remembers actually working?
“Basically, it was along the lines of us saying his back’s hurting from carrying the team, one of those comments,” Bass said. “It was all joking. It put a smile on his face.”
The memories put a smile on Bass’ face, too. He signed to play in Japan after being released by the Seattle Mariners ahead of the 2016 season. The change of scenery and an opportunity to prove himself overseas paid dividends once he got back stateside.
Bass has moved primarily into high leverage roles since returning to MLB in 2017. He posted a 3.82 ERA in 70 appearances for the Marlins last season.
“This game is so mental,” Bass said. “I just got my confidence back. I went over there I had success. Winning the championship, playing postseason baseball in Japan, just kind of got me ready to come back here and give another shot in the big leagues. It’s really, really helped.”
This and that
▪ Avisail Garcia was a late scratch from the Marlins’ lineup as he deals with back tenderness. Garcia was originally supposed to be Miami’s designated hitter. Garrett Cooper replaced Garcia in the lineup. Brian Anderson is starting in right field.
Mattingly said Garcia experienced tightness late in Sunday’s 3-2 loss to the San Francisco Giants and he “didn’t really respond the way we wanted” Monday.
“Didn’t really feel like taking the chance this early in the year,” Mattingly added. “We’ll make sure he gets over this.”
If Garcia also sits out Tuesday for the series finale against the Angels, either Anderson or Bryan De La Cruz would likely get the start in right.
▪ Right-handed pitcher Dylan Floro (right rotator cuff tendinitis) threw a 25-pitch bullpen session on Sunday.
▪ Right-handed pitcher prospect Edward Cabrera resumed his throwing progression Monday after being placed on the minor-league injured list with right biceps muscle fatigue.
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