Why is Dodgers manager Dave Roberts starting Shohei Ohtani for Game 7 of the World Series?

Shohei Ohtani is one of the most incredible players we have ever seen on a baseball field. He has proven that he is just as effective on the mound as he is in the batter’s box. To have a player like that in your lineup is a huge advantage, but you have to take care of a unicorn like Ohtani. Some rules apply to how you can use a player who can hit and pitch in a game.

The two-way player rule

In 2020 the MLB established the two-way player rule, which could/should be called the Ohtani rule. In summary, players must be designated as pitchers or position players. Like all good rules, this one has an exception and it is for players with two-way status: Players who can pitch and play as position players or designated hitters. To achieve that status, as explained on the MLB web site, a player must:

1. Pitch at least 20 Major League innings AND
2. Play at least 20 Major League games as a position player or designated hitter, with at least three plate appearances in each game in either the current or previous MLB season.

Obviously, Ohtani meets those requirements. Actually, he’s the only MLB player who is considered a two-way player. So, what’s the problem?

Dave Roberts’ options for Ohtani to pitch in game 7

If Ohtani starts the game as a designated hitter and then is called to pitch as a reliever later on in the game, Dave Roberts will have to deal with two scenarios: The first problem is when do you find time to send Ohtani out to the bullpen to warm up? Complicated, but not impossible, depending on different factors in the game, like when it’s the Japanese superstar’s turn at bat and when he is called on to take the mound in relief.

The other problem with coming on in relief is that if Ohtani exits as a reliever, he would have to play in the outfield or be substituted by another player, which is highly unlikely.

Another option for Ohtani to pitch without starting would be to bring him in at the end of the game as a closer. He did this in the 2023 World Baseball Classic while playing for Japan, but then we go back to the warm-up problem.

The easiest and clearest way to get some innings out of Ohtani in Game 7 is to have him start. If he goes three, four or five innings after three-days rest, that’s better for the bullpen or for Tyler Glasnow, who was scheduled to pitch in Game 7. Even if Ohtani can get an inning or two in on the hill, he will be able to continue as DH for the rest of the game, which is good for the Dodgers, good for baseball fans and very concerning for the Blue Jays.

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