Angels’ Ohtani expects to play Monday, day after early exit

CHICAGO (AP) — Los Angeles Angels star Shohei Ohtani said he expects to play Monday, a day after making an early exit because of tightness in his right groin.

The two-way AL MVP was the Angels’ designated hitter when he was pulled for a pinch-hitter in the ninth inning of Sunday’s 6-5 win over the Chicago White Sox.

“I was taken out for safety reasons. I was perfectly OK with it,” Ohtani said through a translator.

Ohtani said he expects to be in the lineup for the series finale against the White Sox.

Ohtani was 0 for 3 with an RBI in the win.

Angels manager Joe Maddon said Ohtani might have tweaked his groin running to first in the seventh inning on a grounder back to pitcher Jose Ruiz that the White Sox turned into a double play.

Ohtani is batting .228 with four home runs, 12 RBIs and four stolen bases this season.

As a pitcher, he’s 2-2 with a 4.19 ERA, striking out 30 in 19 1/3 innings. He won his second straight start in his last outing, beating Cleveland on Wednesday.

Overall, Ohtani has played 22 of the Angels’ 23 games this season.

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