New Angels Pitcher Finding Ways to Bond with Shohei Ohtani

Newest Angel starter Lucas Giolito is finding ways to build a friendship with superstar Shohei Ohtani in his first week with the team.

In surprising fashion, Giolito asked Ohtani about two specific cultural topics and the relationship between the pair has spurned from that question.

Angels pitcher Lucas Giolito, who was traded to the team just 10 days ago, says he and Shohei Ohtani have already bonded over anime and manga:

"We mostly talk about anime and manga. I saw him reading manga on the plane and was talking to him about that" pic.twitter.com/tkuLvxeWOq
— MLB Life (@MLBLife) August 6, 2023

The two-way sensation hasn't been shy about his love for both manga and anime, stating such in a January 2022 interview with GQ, so it's a pleasant surprise for the newest Angel starter to share the same.

Giolito, while attempting to increase some clubhouse morale, hasn't lived up to expectations on the mound.

His first two Angels starts weren't up to his own standard and the former Chicago White Sox ace admitted as much earlier this month.

He isn't alone in this phenomenon as Reid Detmers was also critical of his pitching after his most recent start as well in the middle of a seven-game losing streak for Anaheim.

The timing couldn't be worse as the Halos bought big at the deadline including Giolito and fellow former White Sox pitcher in Reynaldo Lopez.

Lopez, adding personal tragedy to his new team's current slide, was placed on the bereavement list earlier this month in what's been a disaster to start the second half for Anaheim.

With some players maintaining a positive outlook on the remaining season, skipper Phil Nevin echoed that despite the doubt from naysayers the Angels are still here for each other.

After being swept by Seattle through multiple late inning collapses in their most recent series, the Angels dropped to seven games out the final AL Wild Card spot in what's been a disaster second half thus far. They've split the first two against the Giants, finally ending their winless streak since the break.

No amount of clubhouse morale can help the team's play on the field and despite Giolito's best efforts, the Halos' postseason hopes could be slipping away.