By Frank Pingue
(Reuters) -After watching Los Angeles Dodgers two-way standout Shohei Ohtani baffle their pitching staff during Game Three of the World Series, the Toronto Blue Jays have made a bold decision: they are done pitching to baseball’s biggest star.
Blue Jays manager John Schneider did not mince words after the Dodgers prevailed 6-5 on Monday in an 18-inning classic during which Ohtani smacked two doubles and two home runs in his first four at-bats before Toronto essentially surrendered.
“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,” Schneider said after the Dodgers took a 2-1 lead in the best-of-seven Fall Classic which resumes on Tuesday in Los Angeles.
When asked if walking Ohtani for the remainder of the World Series would be the plan, Schneider’s response was blunt: “Yeah.”
‘BEST PLAYER’
That strategy played out in real time during Game Three, which tied for the longest postseason game by innings and is also the second-longest postseason game by time after lasting six hours, 39 minutes.
When Ohtani hit a game-tying homer in the seventh, the Blue Jays intentionally walked him four times and unintentionally once more. The message was clear: pitch around the superstar at all costs.
“His performance was really good. He’s arguably the best player on the planet,” said Schneider.
By the time Game Three ended, Ohtani had become the first player to reach base nine times in a postseason game, surpassing the previous mark by three.
Ohtani also became the first player in postseason history with multiple home runs, multiple doubles and multiple walks in a single game.
‘SIGN OF RESPECT’
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts praised the Blue Jays’ tactical decision, calling Ohtani “the best player on the planet” and noting that Schneider “smelled that and wasn’t going to let Shohei beat him at all.”
“You just don’t see that type of behavior from opposing managers and that’s just the ultimate sign of respect,” said Roberts, highlighting the extraordinary lengths to which teams will go in order to neutralize baseball’s most dominant force.
But the Ohtani avoidance strategy that the Blue Jays employed comes with a built-in problem – the loaded Dodgers lineup that follows.
Even after intentionally walking Ohtani, who is the first player with three multi-homer games in a single postseason, the Blue Jays immediately face Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman.
It was Freeman, after all, who ended Game Three with a home run to begin the bottom of the 18th inning, marking the first walk-off win in the World Series since his Grand Slam ended Game One of last year’s Fall Classic.
“There’s certain times where I feel like you feel better about someone else beating you,” said Schneider.
“If that someone else is Mookie Betts or Freddie Freeman it still stings. But (Ohtani) had a great game and we’re just going to try to continue to execute.”
OHTANI PITCHING
The Blue Jays will be unable to avoid Ohtani in Game Four as he is set to make his World Series pitching debut, in which he will try to put the Dodgers on the brink of a repeat title.
“He’s spent. He was on base eight, nine times tonight, running the bases,” said Roberts. “He’s elated. But, yeah, he’s taking the mound tomorrow. He’ll be ready.”
It will be Ohtani’s first pitching start since he pitched six scoreless innings, struck out 10 batters and hit three home runs in the clinching game of the National League Championship Series 11 days ago, in a performance that left the sporting world in awe.
(Reporting by Frank Pingue in Toronto; Editing by Matthew Lewis)
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