Yankees' Gerrit Cole impressed by Angels' amazing Shohei Ohtani
![Angels starting pitcher Shohei Ohtani throws during the first inning of...](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.newsday.com%2Fimage-service%2Fversion%2Fc%3ANGE0MjQ4YzItZjQ5NC00%3AYzItZjQ5NC00NTcyZGY4%2Fwhite-sox-angels-baseball.jpg%3Ff%3DLandscape%2B16%253A9%26w%3D770%26q%3D1&w=1920&q=80)
Angels starting pitcher Shohei Ohtani throws during the first inning of a game against the White Sox on Sunday in Anaheim, Calif. Credit: AP/Ashley Landis
Count Gerrit Cole among those who can’t get enough of Angels hitter/pitcher Shohei Ohtani.
Cole most certainly took note of Ohtani’s performance Sunday night, when he hit 101 mph on the mound and launched a 451-foot homer that left his bat at 115 mph.
"I’m a huge fan of Shohei Ohtani," Cole said Monday. "What a magnificent talent."
Cole, scheduled to make his second start of the season Tuesday night against the Orioles, sounded as if he couldn’t wrap his head around which was more impressive — Ohtani’s velocity throwing pitches or his ability to hit them a long way.
"I mean, I certainly can throw the ball as hard as him, but I can’t hit as far as he can," Cole said. "And there are certainly people who hit it as far as he can and can’t even throw it anywhere close to the way that he can throw it."
Cole recalled Angels star Mike Trout approaching him a number of years ago to tell him the hype surrounding Ohtani was real.
"He was like, ‘You’ve got to watch this guy’s BP,’ " Cole said. "I snuck out for a couple [rounds], and it’s impressive. It’s impressive to all parts of the field. Pitching against him certainly is a tough out. I only got to see him throw once, but he was firing like 93-mph splits, so that had me on the front of my seat as well."
Yankees add pitcher
The Yankees signed veteran lefthander Mike Montgomery, who spent spring training with the Mets before being released, to a minor-league deal, a source confirmed. Montgomery, 31, who has alternated between starting and relieving throughout his career, is 23-34 with a 3.84 ERA in six big-league seasons.
Rare air
Michael King, who pitched six scoreless innings in relief Sunday, became the first Yankees reliever to retire at least 16 consecutive batters since Neil Allen retired 19 straight against Oakland on May 31, 1988.
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