TORONTO — Shohei Ohtani has done a lot for the Dodgers in his first two seasons with the team. Now he will do something new.
Ohtani will start Game 7 of the World Series on Saturday night.
After the Dodgers won Game 6 on Friday, manager Dave Roberts gave indications that Ohtani would be pitching in Game 7, either in relief or as the starter. He did not name a Game 7 starter at the time but said “we’re close to a decision.” That decision was made official Saturday afternoon.
The decision to start Ohtani is driven in large part by the way the two-player rule – adopted in 2022 as a response to Ohtani’s unique abilities – is written. As a starter, Ohtani can leave the game as a pitcher but remain in the Dodgers’ lineup as a designated hitter. If he came in to pitch in relief and didn’t finish the game, the Dodgers would lose the DH – and Ohtani’s bat – whenever he left the game as a pitcher.
Ohtani will be pitching on three days’ rest for the second time in his career. With the Angels in April 2023, he came back on three days’ rest after a start was cut short (two innings) by a long rain delay.
He started Game 4 at Dodger Stadium and pitched into the seventh inning. He allowed three consecutive hits to start the inning and left trailing 3-1. The Dodgers’ bullpen let three more runs score and the Dodgers lost 6-2.
It’s unclear how deep into the game Ohtani might pitch. He could be limited to an “opener” and pitch just two or three innings. Roberts said following Game 6 that everyone on the Dodgers’ pitching staff will be available except Yoshinobu Yamamoto. That includes starters Blake Snell, who pitched 6⅔ innings in Game 5 on Wednesday, and Tyler Glasnow, who threw just three pitches in relief in Game 6.
In his first postseason as a pitcher, Ohtani did not pitch in the Wild Card Series and has made one start in each round since, going 2-1 with a 3.50 ERA over 18 innings.
The Toronto Blue Jays will start veteran right-hander Max Scherzer in Game 7.