The Los Angeles Dodgers made the decision everyone was expecting.
At about 1:30 p.m. Saturday, the Dodgers announced that Shohei Ohtani will be their Game 7 starting pitcher in the World Series on Saturday night.
Just because everyone was expecting it doesn’t make it less astounding.
The Dodgers’ leadoff hitter will bat first in the top of the first. And in the bottom of the first, he’ll go to the mound. And this is Game 7 of the World Series.
Ohtani is one of one, and never will that be more evident than on this night.
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Why are the Dodgers starting Shohei Ohtani at pitcher and not Tyler Glasnow?
The Dodgers are starting Ohtani because of the rule MLB made about his involvement in a game as a two-way player.
The Ohtani Rule only works if Ohtani is the starting pitcher.
The MLB rule allows a team to keep its starting pitcher in the lineup as the DH after he is removed from the mound.
It does not apply to relief pitchers.
If Ohtani came on in relief and then was pulled from pitching, the only way to keep him in the lineup would be to move him to the outfield. And when that happened, the lineup’s DH spot would be forfeited, and the next pitcher would be in the lineup.
So the only way for the Dodgers to guarantee Ohtani in the lineup as the DH the whole Game 7 is to start him on the mound.
It’ll be slightly short rest, yes. But if the plan is for Ohtani to pitch at some point, then they should use the strategy that maximizes their two-way superstar. And that’s what they’re doing.
Glasnow only threw three pitches in relief in Game 6. He’s probably got 75-100 pitches in the tank.
It’s all hands on deck for the Dodgers. But it starts with Ohtani.
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