Yankees’ Masahiro Tanaka vs. Angels’ Shohei Ohtani: Japanese stars on track for showdown

New York Yankees pitcher Masahiro Tanaka and Los Angeles Angels pitcher/DH Shohei Ohtani could face each other on Sunday, May 27, 2018 (5/27/18) at Yankee Stadium. It would be the first time the Japanese stars face each other in the majors.

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When the Yankees visited the Los Angeles Angels last month for a three-game series in Anaheim, the MLB world was buzzing about a possible showdown between two of the top players to come from Japan: New York’s Masahiro Tanaka and Los Angeles’ Shohei Ohtani.

Ohtani was in the lineup as the DH for game one of the series on April 27, facing Luis Severino. But Ohtani would only get two at-bats before leaving the game with a sprained ankle.

Tanaka pitched the next day for the Yankees but Ohtani was out with the bum ankle.

Ohtani also sat on the bench for the final game of the three-game series.

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Fast forward to the end of May, when the Angels visit the Yankees for a three-game series beginning on Friday, May 25.

Now, Tanaka is pitching tonight against the Nationals in Washington (weather permitting). With two more off-days before the Yankees host the Angels, Tanaka would set up to be on the mound on Sunday, May 27 against Los Angeles.

Ohtani, who has recovered from the ankle injury, is lined up to pitch one time per week. He last threw on Sunday, May 13. Before that, Sunday, May 6.

If the Angels keep Ohtani on his schedule of one pitching performance per week, and that day continues to be Sunday, the worlds will align and give us the pitching matchup everyone has been waiting for: Ohtani vs. Tanaka.

Per MLB.com, the pitchers do have some history of facing each other, with Ohtani as a hitter:

Tanaka said he recalled facing Ohtani in 2013; batting for the Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters, Ohtani was 0-for-11 with six strikeouts, a walk and a hit-by-pitch that year against Tanaka, who went 24-0 for the Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles before scoring a big contract with the Yankees.

As of right now, the Angels have not let Ohtani hit when he is the starting pitcher. But that could change, according to the Los Angeles Times:

Scioscia on Sunday even left open the possibility of the Angels one day going without a designated hitter in an American League game started by Ohtani, allowing him to bat.

Such a move would put the team at a tactical disadvantage because of a need to pinch-hit for the pitcher’s spot once Ohtani is relieved, straining an already thin bench.

“We have considered it,” Scioscia said. “It would take an extreme, you know, something you might consider in September, if it was something that was really critical and you needed his bat in the lineup.”

So mark your calendar for Sunday, May 27. At the very least, we could see a pair of Japan’s best imports on the mound at Yankee Stadium. And if Angels manager Mike Scioscia has a change of heart, we just might get the must-see moment of Ohtani digging in against Tanaka.

Mike Rosenstein may be reached at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @rosenstein73. Find NJ.com on Facebook.