Shohei Ohtani dragged off the mound Game 7 of the World Series after allowing a three-run homer to Bo Bichette in the third inning Saturday night.
After three days of rest, Ohtani hit 100.9 mph on his fastball, but seemed to run out of steam on the third day.
After Ohtani hurriedly fielded Nathan Lux's sacrifice bunt, Ohtani threw a wild pitch to Vladimir Guerrero Jr. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts walked Guerrero intentionally after that, and Ohtani's next pitch, his 51st, was a hanging slider that Bichette hit 442 feet.
It was Bichette's first homer since Sept. 2, days before he suffered the left knee injury that was still hampering him in the series.
Ohtani allowed three runs and five hits in 2 1/3 innings before being replaced by left-hander Justin Wrobleski. Ohtani walked two and struck out three.
He had plenty of speed, throwing three pitches at 100 mph or higher, but didn't control the ball very well. He struck out six and walked one in the start of his fourth game, when he threw 93 pitches in a 6–2 loss.
Get the latest national news
To stay on top of news affecting Canada and the world, sign up for breaking news alerts delivered directly to you as they happen.
Ohtani irritated the Blue Jays with long delays before warming up in the first and third innings. He was on base to finish in the top of first and last out in the top of third, and each time it took him about 4 and a half minutes before he was ready. The umpires didn't seem to rush him, and Blue Jays manager John Schneider complained several times.
Ohtani previously became the first pitcher to reach Game 7 of the World Series since Jesse Orozco of the New York Mets in 1986.
He singled to lead off Toronto center fielder Max Scherzer, moved to second on a ground ball and advanced to third on a fly ball, but was left stranded when Mookie Betts flied out of the game.
Ohtani is the first starting pitcher to reach a winner-take-all World Series game since 1975, when Bill Lee and Don Gullett got hits.
Ohtani's only previous start on three days' rest came on April 21, 2017, when he allowed two hits in seven innings and struck out 11 in a 2-0 win over Kansas City. His start in Boston on April 17 was cut short due to a rain delay after two innings and 31 pitches.
Starting Ohtani made more sense than using him for relief. Under rule adopted for the 2022 seasonpitchers who start the game in batting order may remain in the game as the designated hitter after leaving the mound.
If Ohtani starts the game as just the DH and then takes the mound, the Dodgers will lose their DH and pitchers will have to pitch in that spot if Ohtani is replaced.
© 2025 The Canadian Press
