The Blue Jays have seen enough of Shohei Ohtani at the plate. Whatever slump he was on prior to his explosive, historic Game 4 of the NLCS against the Brewers – he pitched six innings with 10 strikeouts and also hit three home runs – is clearly over.
Toronto manager John Schneider told reporters after Game 3 of the World Series, per ESPN, to expect more of the same regarding his team’s treatment of Ohtani going forward. He was referring to their liberal use of intentional walks in extra innings, after the two-way star devastated Blue Jays’ pitchers in regulation.
Ohtani hit a ground-rule double in the first to lead off Game 3, then blasted a homer in the second inning to put the Dodgers up 2-0. He would hit another double in the fifth to cut Toronto’s lead to one run, came around to score the game-tying run that same inning and then blast a second homer to tie the game up 5-5 in the eighth, which led to the nine extra innings in the first place.
In the ninth, Jeff Hoffman intentionally walked Ohtani, and Braydon Fisher repeated that strategy in the 11th. Eric Lauer would then intentionally walk both Ohtani and Mookie Betts in the 13th, and Ohtani again in the 15th. Finally, he would draw a non-intentional walk in the 17th with Brendon Little on the mound.
The Dodgers lineup is dangerous, but taking the bat out of Ohtani’s hands might very well be less dangerous than letting him hit. The Blue Jays are now down 2-1 in the World Series, with Game 4 airing on FOX on Oct. 28 at 8 p.m. ET.
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