Cleveland Indians fans to see Shohei Ohtani early in 2018

The Cleveland Indians are in Los Angeles early in the 2018 season, giving fans a chance to witness Shohei Ohtani, the two-way star from Japan.

Cleveland Indians fans are still waiting for free agents like Carlos Santana, Jay Bruce and Bryan Shaw to make decisions for the 2018 season, but pandemonium is already ensuing throughout baseball.

While a lot of attention is currently being paid to Derek Jeter dismantling the Miami Marlins by trading Giancarlo Stanton to the New York Yankees, one of the most high-profile courtships in MLB history has come to an end.

Shohei Ohtani, the two-way star from Japan, ended his Bachelor-esque process and decided to sign with the Los Angeles Angels after weeks of rumors about where he could end up.

The Indians were never really in the conversation to land Ohtani, but that doesn’t mean Indians fans won’t get to see him play in 2018. In fact, fans will see him in just a few months.

The Indians begin the 2018 season in Seattle on March 29, but head to Anaheim to take on the Angels for a three-game series beginning on April 2.

Ohtani is expected to be the designated hitter on days when he isn’t pitching, so even if he doesn’t pitch against the Indians, fans should still see him in the lineup. In case he doesn’t pitch, the Angels are in Cleveland at the beginning of August.

Ohtani always seemed destined to end up in the American League, and it will be fun to see him several times a year. I just hope those times don’t come in October.

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But right now the worry is about seeing Stanton in October, right behind Aaron Judge in the lineup. Nothing a steady dose of curveballs in the dirt can’t fix.