TOKYO — Japanese two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani arrived home on Tuesday and was critical of his Los Angeles Angels team missing the Major League Baseball playoffs again.

In an interview at Tokyo’s Haneda Airport, he said it was “a good season for me personally.” Not so good for the Angels, though.

Without solid support for former AL MVPs Ohtani and Mike Trout, the Angels suffered a seventh consecutive losing season, and missed the playoffs for an eighth consecutive year.

“I have to say that August and September in particular felt longer to me than last year,” Ohtani said, speaking in Japanese. “We were not able to play as many good games as we would like — including 14 consecutive losses. So I have a rather negative impression of this season.”

The Angels finished 73-89 and were 33 games behind the Houston Astros in the American League West.

The Angels last made the playoffs in 2014. Ohtani joined in 2018, leaving one of baseball’s biggest stars on the sideline for the game’s biggest stage.

Ohtani was 15-9 with a 2.33 ERA as a pitcher. As a batter he hit 34 home runs, had 95 RBI and hit .273.

He was asked about the possibility of being the American League MVP again.

“I’m just happy to be considered as a candidate,” he said.

Ohtani has already picked up an armful of awards. He was the AL MVP last year. Last season, he was also presented a special award — the Commissioner’s Historic Achievement Award — by Commissioner Rob Manfred to recognize his two-way play.

Ohtani has already agreed to a $30 million deal with the Angels for the 2023 season, his final year before free agency. The Angels have said they want to keep him.

He was open to playing for Japan in next year’s World Baseball Classic, which takes place before the MLB season.

“Many top-class Major League players from the United States and Latin America have announced their participation,” Ohtani said. “Participating in this tournament is very appealing to me. I have that kind of feeling.”

UMPIRES: Ted Barrett will be the crew chief for the National League Championship Series between San Diego and Philadelphia, and Alfonso Marquez will head the umpires for the American League series between Houston and Cleveland or the New York Yankees.

Brian Knight worked the plate for Tuesday’s NL opener, and Barrett was at first, Adam Hamari at second, Quinn Wolcott at third, Doug Eddings in left, Todd Tichenor in right and Lance Barrett was the reserve ump, Major League Baseball said.

Lance Barrett is set to work the plate for Game 2, followed by Ted Barrett for Game 3, Hamari for Game 4, Wolcott for Game 5, Eddings for Game 6 and Tichenor for Game 7.

Mike Muchlinski will be behind the plate for Wednesday’s AL opener, with Marquez at first, Adrian Johnson at second, Vic Carapazza at third, Chris Guccione in left, Chris Conroy in right and D.J. Reyburn as a reserve.

Reyburn works the plate in Game 2, followed by Marquez in Game 3, Johnson in Game 4, Carapazza in Game 5, Guccione in Game 6 and Conroy in Game 7.
Andy Fletcher, Larry Vanover and Chad Whitson will serve as the replay umpires.

GUARDIANS: After sitting through a near two-and-a-half-hour rain delay — only for Game 5 to be postponed — the Cleveland Guardians then had to scramble to find a place to sleep.

The Guardians had to check out of their hotel prior to the expected Game 5 on Monday with the anticipation of going back to Cleveland or shooting to Houston for the ALCS. After the game postponement, they went back to the same hotel and it was overbooked, ESPN reported. They had to then go to a different hotel and split up their group into different hotels.

Players and coaches stayed in Yonkers so they could be in close proximity to Yankee Stadium and team officials stayed in Midtown, according to the Athletic.

Home-field advantage really is playing a factor for the decisive Game 5. The Yanks were granted the comfort of their own beds while Terry Francona’s club had to scramble to find somewhere to sleep.

“We had to make some adjustments just because our hotel was full,” Francona said Tuesday afternoon. “We’re fine. Everybody, we split up and they got it all mapped out and it was no big deal.”

PADRES: Suspended Padres shortstop Fernando Tatis Jr. had a follow-up surgery on his left wrist and should be recovered from that and recent shoulder surgery by spring training, the team said.

Tatis is currently serving an 80-game suspension from MLB after testing positive for a performance-enhancing drug. He had surgery last week to remove the screws that were placed in his wrist during surgery in mid-March and replace them with a central screw.

Tatis broke his wrist in an offseason motorcycle accident in his native Dominican Republic. The team didn’t realize the severity of the injury until he reported to spring training.

Tatis was on the cusp of returning from the wrist injury when he was suspended on Aug. 12.

Tatis had surgery to repair the partially torn labrum in his left shoulder in early September.

Although he’s expected to be ready to participate in spring training, his suspension will continue into the 2023 season.