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 of rest for the second time in his career. With the Angels in April 2023, he came back on three days of 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 with the team 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 Game 6 starter 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.