LOS ANGELES — Over the course of a 162-game baseball season, it’s common for a seemingly flippant comment by a manager to dominate the news cycle for a few days.
Chicago Cubs manager Craig Counsell made some comments Monday regarding MLB’s ‘two-way player’ rule, which currently only applies to the Dodgers and Shohei Ohtani.
“It’s a rule to help offense, more than anything, if you ask me,” Counsell told reporters prior to a game against the Philadelphia Phillies. “And then there’s one team that’s allowed to carry basically one of both, and he gets special consideration, which is probably the most bizarre rule. For one team.”
Counsell’s comments sparked debate in the baseball media. The “Foul Territory” podcast and panelists on MLB Network had discussions on whether the rule needs to be reexamined.
The rule originated in 2020 and was modified in 2022, during Ohtani’s time with the Angels.
A player can earn a two-way designation if the player pitches at least 20 innings and has started in at least 20 games as a position player or designated hitter with a minimum of three plate appearances in those games.
Ohtani is the only player who currently qualifies for that designation. The rule gives the Dodgers some roster flexibility, because teams can only carry a maximum of 13 pitchers on their roster, but Ohtani’s designation essentially allows the Dodgers to carry 14 pitchers.
“I don’t think he (Counsell) meant it really maliciously,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. “They are going through it on the pitching side. But again, this is a rule that’s applicable to Shohei. It’s not a Dodger rule. I mean, this was implemented when he was with the Angels.”
The Cubs currently have 11 pitchers on the injured list with Caleb Thielbar joining the list on Friday with a hamstring strain.
Counsell addressed the topic with the media on Friday for the first time since he made the initial comments.
“I answered a different question actually. The question I answered had nothing to do with that,” Counsell said. “What sometimes happens when you answer the question, whatever is more interesting about your answer is the part that gets printed.”
Counsell didn’t back down from his comments about the two-way player rule, but he said it wasn’t a specific jab at the Dodgers.
“This is not a Dodger thing. It’s not an Ohtani thing,” Counsell said. “It’s a bad rule.”
When asked which specific part of the rule Counsell objected to, he declined to answer.
“You guys figure it out,” Counsell said. “It’s a good discussion. It’s an interesting discussion and I think it’s worth discussing.”
INJURY UPDATES
Shortstop Mookie Betts has been sidelined with an oblique injury since April 5 and began swinging a bat as part of his daily workouts last weekend.
Betts took a step up in his rehab on Friday by taking batting practice in the batting cage.
“He says he doesn’t feel it swinging the bat or throwing,” Roberts said. “A couple days ago I talked to him, he was running and he said he felt it (the oblique) a little bit.”
Roberts said he expects Betts to go on a minor-league rehab assignment prior to rejoining the Dodgers, which could come as soon as next weekend.
“My assumption is that he’ll go out on a rehab assignment and take a couple games to get some at-bats, get his legs back. He’s getting closer,” Roberts said. “I know that each day has gotten a lot better so we are really encouraged.”
Relief pitcher Brock Stewart was to pitch in the fourth game of his rehab assignment on Friday for Triple-A Oklahoma City. He most recently pitched on Tuesday and threw a scoreless inning with two strikeouts.
Roberts said the next step in Stewart’s rehab will be pitching on back-to-back days and that he might be doing that in the next three to five days.
RING PRESENTATION
Several of the Dodgers players met with Cubs outfielder Michael Conforto prior to Friday’s game to give him his 2025 World Series championship ring.
Conforto struggled in his one season with the Dodgers with a .637 OPS in 138 games and did not make the postseason roster.
“I know he didn’t perform the way people would have liked and he would have liked, but I loved him on the team,” Roberts said. “I wish him all the best except for these games we play the Cubs.”
UP NEXT
Cubs (RHP Colin Rea, 3-0, 3.00 ERA) at Dodgers (RHP Roki Sasaki, 0-2, 6.11 ERA), Saturday, 4:15 p.m., FOX (Ch. 11), 570 AM