Patriots’ Day matinee: Red Sox host Shohei Ohtani and the Angels during the 127th Boston Marathon

In addition to the 127th running of the Boston Marathon, Monday’s Patriots’ Day in Massachusetts also meant a day game for the Red Sox, who hosted Shohei Ohtani and the Los Angeles Angels in a soggy, rain-soaked matinee.

Occurring on the third Monday of April, Patriots’ Day was created in 1894 to observe the Battles of Lexington and Concord – preludes to the Revolutionary War. The state holiday is also celebrated in Maine, Florida, Wisconsin, Connecticut and North Dakota, but it’s in Massachusetts where the occasion is marked with several sporting events.

Besides the Boston Marathon, the Red Sox have traditionally hosted a day game on Patriots’ Day.

This year that game came against Ohtani, the Japanese two-way sensation, who struck out his countryman Masataka Yoshida in their first matchup at Fenway Park on Monday before the game was delayed in the third inning due to rain. Ohtani was pulled for a reliever when the game resumed later on Monday in Boston. 

Ohtani is slated to become a free agent after the season, and while some Red Sox fans were hoping he could be lured to Boston, Monday’s rain showers seemed to dampen those hopes. 

Angels’ Shohei Ohtani (17) follows through on his single in front of catcher Reese McGuire

Ohtani pitches against the Boston Red Sox during the first inning of a baseball game, Monday

Shohei Othani strikes out his countryman, Boston Red Sox left fielder Masataka Yoshida

‘Ohtani is definitely signing with another California team after this lmao,’ wrote on fan. 

‘And the Red Sox are out of the Ohtani sweepstakes,’ added another. 

Ohtani could see a contract in the neighborhood of $500 million, according to experts’ speculation over the last few months. 

And in case there’s any reason to doubt Ohtani’s value, Monday served as a good reminder: The 28-year-old started 2 for 2 at the plate, scoring one run, while striking out three over the first two innings. 

He did yield a sacrifice RBI to Boston’s Rob Refsnyder in the bottom of the first inning – just the second run Ohtani has given up this season. 

As is often the case in April in Massachusetts, Monday was rainy during the Sox-Angels tilt

Fans are pictured at rain-soaked Fenway Park before the Angels-Red Sox game on Monday

The tarp was pulled out over the infield in the third inning of action on Monday in Boston 

The Fenway Park grounds crew pulls the tarp from the field before Monday’s game