In Tuesday's Angels-Tigers game, one team featured a player on the verge of joining one of the most prestigious groups in all of sports, the 500-home run club. The other team featured a player on the verge of one of the greatest single seasons in MLB history, completely dominating whether he's at the plate or on the mound. And both of these players, when united at first base, act not like a couple of baseball legends, but a couple of eight-year-old friends in a rec league game.
The two players in question are future Hall of Famer Miguel Cabrera and MVP favorite Shohei Ohtani, and it's not the first time their first base banter has captured the hearts of baseball fans. Back in June, when the two teams first met for the 2021 season, Ohtani nearly hit Cabrera in the head with a pitch that got away from him. So when Ohtani came to first later in the game, Miggy had some fun.
So, when Ohtani reached first base against the Tigers on Tuesday night — he led off the game with a base hit off of Casey Mize, his only hit of the night, and reached on a walk in the second frame — we were ready for Cabrera to once again interact with his buddy.
Ahh, the ol' stolen batting glove trick. Gets them every time. Ohtani then went on to steal second base that inning, so perhaps it raised his awareness.
However, presumably because Miggy didn't steal Ohtani's gloves after the second inning walk, the Angels star was unsuccessful in his pursuit of second base that time around (via MLB Film Room).
Actually, we'll credit that one to a pinpoint throw from Grayson Greiner behind the dish.
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