In a dramatic Game 7 of the World Series held in Toronto, Shohei Ohtani was removed from the mound after facing difficulties in the third inning, specifically following Bo Bichette's three-run home run. Despite showcasing impressive velocity with a fastball reaching 100.9 mph, Ohtani appeared to struggle with control as he progressed through the game.
Ohtani was pitching on three days of rest and had previously shown great promise, throwing three pitches over 100 mph. However, after successfully fielding a sacrifice bunt from Nathan Lukes, Ohtani faltered, allowing a wild pitch to Vladimir Guerrero Jr. Following this misstep, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts made the strategic decision to intentionally walk Guerrero. The result came swiftly, as Ohtani’s next pitch, which was his 51st of the outing, ended up being a hanging slider that Bichette hit an impressive 442 feet into the stands.
This home run marked Bichette’s first since September 2, prior to an ongoing left knee injury that has been affecting his performance in the series. Ohtani concluded his outing after giving up a total of three runs on five hits over just 2 1/3 innings. His official stats included two walks and three strikeouts, a disappointing performance given his prior efforts in Game 4, where he struck out six batters and walked only one in a 6-2 loss, pitching across 93 pitches.
During the game, Ohtani’s lengthy warm-up delays drew the ire of the Blue Jays. He took approximately 4 1/2 minutes both after making the final out in the first inning and again before the third inning began, which led to complaints from Blue Jays manager John Schneider. The umpires did not appear to rush Ohtani during these intervals, which likely contributed to tensions on the opposing team’s side.
In a noteworthy moment earlier in the game, Ohtani made history by becoming the first pitcher to record a hit in a World Series Game 7 since Jesse Orosco of the New York Mets in 1986. He opened the game with a single to center field off Toronto’s pitcher Max Scherzer, advanced to second on a ground ball, and moved to third on a fly ball. Unfortunately, he was left stranded after Mookie Betts grounded out, failing to capitalize on his own momentum at the plate.
Additionally, Ohtani's achievement marked him as the first starting pitcher to get a hit in a winner-take-all World Series game since 1975, when both Bill Lee and Don Gullett recorded hits. This added a layer of significance to his performance, despite the struggles he faced on the mound.
Ohtani's prior experience pitching on short rest dates back to April 21, 2017, when he successfully limited opponents to just two hits over seven innings while striking out eleven in a 2-0 victory against the Kansas City Royals. A subsequent start on April 17 in Boston was interrupted by a rainy weather delay after two innings and 31 pitches, complicating his rhythm heading into Game 7.
From a strategic standpoint, starting Ohtani was deemed more advantageous than deploying him in a relief role. A rule introduced for the 2022 season allows pitchers who start games in the batting order to remain as designated hitters after leaving the mound. Should Ohtani have entered the game only as a designated hitter before pitching, the Dodgers would have forfeited their DH slot, compelling pitchers to bat if Ohtani was substituted.
