Breaking down every pitch of Shohei Ohtani-Mike Trout legendary duel

Shohei Ohtani got the best of Mike Trout in their legendary World Baseball Classic duel. Here’s every pitch, and why Ohtani got the edge.

Shohei Ohtani and Mike Trout are Angels teammates. They are arguably the best players of their respective generations. They are baseball legends, and future Hall of Famers.

The World Baseball Classic capped with the best possible matchup. Trout and Ohtani delivered with a final duel for the last out of the game.

Japan went undefeated in the tournament itself. The United States was the last dragon they had to slay, and they made it close. A Kyle Schwarber solo home run put the U.S. within striking distance.

Despite a leadoff walk by Ohtani in the top of the ninth, he got Mookie Betts to ground into a double play, and then struck out Trout in the following at-bat which went the distance.

World Baseball Classic: Every pitch of Mike Trout vs Shohei Ohtani at bat

After Mookie Betts grounded into a double play, the United States win probability went down to 3.5 percent, per MLB.com. Trout came to the plate as the Americans last and perhaps best chance. Here’s what happened.

Ohtani started the at-bat with an 88.3 MPH sweeper which missed right below the zone. Given the pitches the Angels star has in his arsenal, his third-best pitch was almost a tease.

Then, Ohtani got the best of Trout with back-to-back-to-back fastballs. Those fastballs measured out at 100, 99.8 and 99.8 MPH respectively, leaving the count tied at two strikes and two balls apiece. Trout’s best chance at taking his teammate deep was likely the fourth pitch, in which he fanned on a fastball right down the middle of the plate.

Following a near 102 MPH fastball off the outside corner to keep Trout honest, Ohtani went to a strikeout pitch — a slider to end the game.

No hitter — not even a player like Trout — could turn around that breaking ball. Good pitching beats good hitting, ten times out of ten.