After witnessing Shohei Ohtani dominate their pitching staff during Game 3 of the World Series, the Toronto Blue Jays have made a daring decision: they will no longer pitch to baseball’s biggest star. Following the Dodgers' 6-5 victory in an intense 18-inning showdown, Blue Jays manager John Schneider made it clear that the team intends to limit Ohtani's impact at all costs.
Ohtani displayed his extraordinary talent by hitting two doubles and two home runs in his first four at-bats. Schneider acknowledged Ohtani's impressive performance, stating, “He had a great game, he’s a great player, but I think after that, you just kind of take the bat out of his hands.” The Dodgers now lead the series 2-1, with the next game scheduled to take place in Los Angeles.
When asked if the plan moving forward was to intentionally walk Ohtani for the rest of the World Series, Schneider’s answer was straightforward: “Yeah.” This strategy became apparent during Game 3, which has now tied for the longest postseason game by innings and is the second-longest in terms of time, lasting an astounding six hours and 39 minutes. The Blue Jays intentionally walked Ohtani four times and issued an additional unintentional walk, clearly signaling their strategy to avoid pitching to the superstar.
By the end of Game 3, Ohtani made history by becoming the first player to reach base nine times in a single postseason game, surpassing the previous record by three. He also etched his name in the record books as the first player in postseason history to achieve multiple home runs, multiple doubles, and multiple walks in one game. Schneider remarked on Ohtani's performance, acknowledging that he is “arguably the best player on the planet.”
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts praised the Blue Jays' tactical approach, referring to Ohtani as “the best player on the planet” and recognizing Schneider’s decision to prevent Ohtani from impacting the game. “You just don’t see that type of behavior from opposing managers; that’s just the ultimate sign of respect,” Roberts stated, highlighting the extreme measures teams are willing to take to neutralize such a dominant player.
However, the Blue Jays' strategy to avoid pitching to Ohtani comes with its own challenges. After intentionally walking Ohtani, they face a formidable Dodgers lineup featuring two former MVPs, Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman. It was Freeman who ultimately ended Game 3 with a walk-off home run in the 18th inning, marking the first walk-off win in the World Series since his grand slam in Game 1 of last year's Fall Classic. Schneider acknowledged the difficulty of the situation, saying, “If that someone else is Mookie Betts or Freddie Freeman, it still stings.”
The Blue Jays will not be able to avoid facing Ohtani in Game 4, as he is set to make his World Series pitching debut. He aims to lead the Dodgers closer to a repeat title. “He’s spent. He was on base eight, nine times tonight, running the bases,” noted Roberts. “He’s elated. But, yeah, he’s taking the mound tomorrow. He’ll be ready.”
As the World Series continues, all eyes will be on how the Blue Jays manage their strategy against Ohtani and whether it pays off against the powerful Dodgers lineup.
