All The Ways The Dodgers Could Use Shohei Ohtani In Game 7 Of World Series

4 hari yang lalu

Shohei Ohtani is for illustration nan chaotic paper successful nan paper crippled Uno successful that his play tin often dictate really nan Dodgers—and full bid arsenic a whole—will fare. As National League Championship Series MVP, Ohtani's two-way prowess was connected afloat show during nan Dodgers' Game 4 victory, successful which he belted 3 location runs arsenic a hitter and struck retired 10 batters complete six scoreless innings arsenic a pitcher. Ohtani has continued to amaze successful nan World Series against nan Blue Jays, and he is group to take halfway shape erstwhile again successful Game 7 connected Saturday night.

The Dodgers earlier Saturday announced that Ohtani will commencement Game 7 against nan Blue Jays, meaning he will besides reprise his domiciled arsenic nan club's designated hitter.

But, keeping nan alleged Ohtani Rule successful mind, location are a multitude of different ways Los Angeles could utilize Ohtani. First, let's dive into nan rulebook.

While nan norm technically isn't named aft Ohtani, it has go associated pinch him fixed that he's nan only player—so far—that nan norm mostly applies to. Beginning successful 2022, nan MLB introduced a rule that coincided pinch nan implementation of nan designated hitter afloat clip successful nan National League.

The norm states that if nan starting pitcher is besides successful nan lineup arsenic nan DH, he tin stay arsenic nan DH moreover if he is removed arsenic nan pitcher. In nan past, if nan starting pitcher was besides successful nan lineup, nan DH was forfeited and a alleviation pitcher occupied his spot successful nan lineup. In starting Ohtani successful Game 7, nan Dodgers will beryllium making usage of nan Ohtani Rule arsenic they person for overmuch of nan regular play and postseason.

But location are different ways, wrong nan rules, that Los Angeles could usage nan two-way star.

How could nan "Ohtani Rule" impact Game 7?

Ohtani starts nan game, leaves for a reliever and remains nan DH, past returns to adjacent nan game

Ohtani entering nan crippled successful alleviation would person been a possiblity moreover if he wasn't named Saturday's starter. Amazingly, it's still a anticipation that he could beryllium nan game's starting pitcher and travel into nan crippled later connected arsenic a alleviation pitcher.

Here's how.

Ohtani could start, beryllium removed from nan crippled successful favour of a Dodgers reliever, and stay nan team's designated hitter arsenic he ever does per nan "Ohtani Rule." Here‘s wherever nan twist comes into play. If nan Dodgers are clinging to a ninth-inning lead and require his services erstwhile more, Ohtani could past re-enter nan crippled arsenic a alleviation pitcher, but nan Dodgers would forfeit nan DH spot. Just ideate nan highest theatre that Ohtani re-entering Game 7 of nan World Series arsenic a person would be. However, this besides intends that if nan crippled were to proceed beyond nan ninth inning, a pitcher aliases pinch hitter would beryllium required to bat successful nan Dodgers' lineup and Ohtani would not beryllium capable to deed again unless...

Ohtani starts nan game, leaves for a reliever and remains nan DH, past returns to adjacent nan game, past becomes an outfielder

This would beryllium nan work-around to losing Ohtani's bat aft his alleviation appearance, should nan crippled play retired that way. We saw nan Dodgers and Blue Jays play an 18-inning title successful Game 3, truthful different other innings matter can't beryllium ruled out. Should that happen, Ohtani, aft exiting arsenic a reliever, could stay successful nan lineup arsenic an outfielder. It's a position that Ohtani played successful nan Nippon Professional Baseball convention successful Japan, appearing successful 62 games for nan Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters. However, he has not played nan outfield since 2021, erstwhile he made six appearances for nan Angels. It would beryllium beautiful astonishing to spot Ohtani beryllium a starting pitcher, hitter, alleviation pitcher and outfielder each successful nan aforesaid game.

This script would look to beryllium little apt than nan previous, but Dodgers head Dave Roberts near each options connected nan array for Ohtani.

"We’ll talk astir everything,” Roberts had said connected Ohtani playing outfield. “We’ll talk done whatever’s nan best. If we get to that point, we’ll see, but he’s not going to play nan outfield [in Game 6], I do cognize that. But, if we get to Game 7, we’ll person a bully chat astir everything."

With a repetition title connected nan statement successful Game 7, everything could so beryllium connected nan array for nan Dodgers erstwhile it comes to Ohtani.