Shohei Ohtani isn’t somebody who wears grudges on his sleeve. He happens to be the guy who will pour his teammates water during time-outs, celebrate his teammates’ achievements, and have the calmest demeanor. Even when he runs out of his patience, he has a subtle way of reacting. If you’ve been keeping tabs, you’d surely know the hottest rivalry in the league right now. It’s not Red Sox-Yankees; it’s apparently Dodgers and Padres.
This time, during their latest face-off, things went from intense to personal in no time. Multiple batters were hit, managers and pitchers were ejected and what not. While the on-field intensity was brutal, the aftermath wasn’t calm either. Ohtani, across his entire MLB career—from the Los Angeles Angels to the Dodgers—he has been hit by pitches numerous times. While all of them were intense, there were undoubtedly intentional.
Interestingly, all three times, the catcher behind the plate was the same. It’s Martin Maldonado! Yeah, it’s true. Ohtani, meanwhile, never said anything in response and didn’t retaliate. However, just recently he unfollowed Maldondo from his instagram handle.
It’s worth noting that out of those three times, two were just recent instances from the Dodgers-Padres series. The first time in the series was when Randy Vasquez hit Ohtani straight at his thigh with a four-seamer. It came right before he nearly hit him with his previous pitch. That time, the catcher was Maldonado. Just two days later, Robert Suarez also hit Ohtani with a fastball. Even that time, Maldonado was the catcher.
However, Suarez was tossed out of the game right after. Suarez has thrown 831 fastballs to left-handed hitters across his career. And guess what? The pitch he threw to Ohtani was the most inside pitch he has ever thrown.
Except for these two times, Maldando was also a catcher for the Houston Astros back in 2021 when Ohtani, then with the Angels, was hit by a pitch. It’s a possibility that Maldonado as a catcher may have influenced pitchers into hitting intentionally.
And well, maybe it was Ohtani’s quiet way of cutting ties with Maldonado, as it’s his last season in the league.
Martin Maldonado to make a quiet exit from the MLB
With Ohtani taking the batter’s box, a name that happened to surface behind the plate was Maldonado. He has recently been under the spotlight after Ohtani unfollowed him. However, there is something beneath the surface, too.
As per USA Today, Maldonado, 38, who is known for his resilience and precision, is reportedly planning to retire after the 2025 MLB season. It will mean the end of his 15-year-long career in MLB. The veteran has been in Padres colors for a while. He has been putting up a .188 batting average this season. He hasn’t been great at offense, as his career high is a .203 hitter with 118 home runs.
On the other hand, his defensive side has been a real asset. He has a staggering ability to manage pitchers. His most loved moment came in the Astros’ 2022 World Series win. He batted barely .186; however, he delivered exceptionally behind the plate. Well, that tells us something after knowing Ohtani’s HBP dilemma.
Back in 2017, Maldondo also won the Gold Glove Award during his time with the Angels. He has appeared for a total of seven teams across his 15-year career. These are the Astros, Angels, Brewers, White Sox, Royals, Cubs, and the Padres. Maldonado’s post-retirement plans also came to light. He will reportedly take a year off and will return to the league as a coach. Well, it makes sense. Catchers are often a perfect fit to become a manager or a coach.
In a flash, a lot happened! First, Ohtani’s unfollow and his retirement news…
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