"He’s probably the best player in the league right now" - Framber Valdez commends Shohei Ohtani despite having the wood over him

Fans in Houston got to witness a pitching matchup for the ages on June 2. Shohei Ohtani of the LA Angels squared off against Framber Valdez of the Houston Astros.

Coming into the game, Valdez owned an ERA of 2,16, placing him fourth in the league in the category. Meanwhile, Shohei Ohtani's 96 strikeouts put him among the top three strikeout leaders.

The Astros went to work on Ohtani quickly. Yordan Alvarez got things going with a two-run home run in the first inning. A two-run single by Alex Bregman helped add to the Astros' lead before a solo shot by Corey Julks all but sealed the deal.

"Yordan Alvarez blasts his way to the 50-RBI mark! (MLB x @loandepot)" - MLB

Shohei Ohtani was charged with five earned runs across six innings, which was enough to credit the 28-year-old with his second loss of the season. The Los Angeles Angels went down by a score of 6-2, marking their second straight loss in the four-game set against their important divisional foe.

Framber Valdez, by comparison, was brilliant for the Houston Astros. The Dominican southpaw lasted seven scoreless innings, striking out seven Angels to improve his record to 6-4. Despite besting Shohei Ohtani, Valdez was sure to laud the superstar after the game.

"Framber Valdez: 'I definitely get excited sometimes pitching against Ohtani. Obviously he’s probably the best player in the league right now, the MVP, but whenever I go up there I see it as I’m pitching against his teammates & my teammates are obviously the ones who also help me beat him.'” - Mark Berman

Valdez, a former All-Star in his own right, referred to Ohtani as "probably the best player in the league right now." The 29-year-old also credited his teammates for overcoming Ohtani's strong pitching and scoring the requisite runs to win the game.

Following the game, the Astros now find themselves just 2.5 games behind the Texas Rangers for the top spot in the AL West. With the loss, the Angels now stand 7.5 games back.

Shohei Ohtani and Framber Valdez are proof of AL West's competitiveness

It's not everyday that two of the best pitchers in the game go head-to-head. Fans in Houston were lucky to experience the spectacle that took place, but they are equally as lucky to be able to look up to players who know talent when they see it, and have the wherewithal to commend even their most bitter of foes.