<
>
EXCLUSIVE CONTENT
Get ESPN+

Keith Law's Cactus League takeaways: Shohei Ohtani falls short of huge expectations

Shohei Ohtani went an uneven three innings Friday in his third spring start. Christian Petersen/Getty Images

The first in a series of Keith Law's scouting evaluations from Arizona's spring training action.

TEMPE, Ariz. -- This was not the Shohei Ohtani we were promised.

Ohtani's third start of spring training failed to live up to expectations -- although the expectations for him have been set so high that it would be hard for any mortal to meet them. But it wasn't the version of the guy I expected to see in my first live look at the Los Angeles Angels right-hander on the mound, as his stuff Friday was a little less than I anticipated and he had trouble with his delivery and command throughout his three-inning stint against the Tijuana Toros of the Mexican League.