In a thrilling and marathon Game 3 of the World Series, Los Angeles Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani showcased why he is considered one of the most unstoppable forces in baseball today. Ohtani’s extraordinary performance, which included multiple home runs and doubles, left the Toronto Blue Jays scrambling for a strategy to contain him moving forward in the series. After witnessing firsthand the damage Ohtani could inflict, the Blue Jays have made a bold and unusual decision: they will avoid pitching to him altogether for the remainder of the series.
The decision came after an epic 18-inning battle on Monday night that lasted six hours and 39 minutes, tying for the longest postseason game by innings and ranking as the second-longest by duration. Throughout this grueling contest, Ohtani was nearly untouchable at the plate. In his first four at-bats alone, he blasted two doubles and two home runs, setting the tone for the Dodgers’ offensive assault. By the end of the game, Ohtani had reached base an unprecedented nine times, breaking the previous postseason record by three appearances. His stat line also included multiple home runs, doubles, and walks, making him the first player in postseason history to achieve such a feat in a single game.
Toronto Blue Jays manager John Schneider did not hold back in commenting on Ohtani’s dominance. “He had a great game, he’s a great player,” Schneider said after the Dodgers edged out the Blue Jays 6-5 in the marathon game that gave Los Angeles a 2-1 lead in the best-of-seven World Series. But Schneider also made it clear that after seeing what Ohtani could do, his team’s plan would be to “take the bat out of his hands” by avoiding pitching to him at all costs. When pressed on whether the team would intentionally walk Ohtani for the rest of the series, Schneider’s answer was a blunt and unequivocal “Yeah.”
This strategy was evident during Game 3 itself. Following Ohtani’s game-tying homer in the seventh inning, the Blue Jays chose to intentionally walk him four times and unintentionally walked him once more. The message was unmistakable: the Blue Jays would rather face anyone else than let Ohtani hit freely. Schneider acknowledged the difficulty of this approach but underscored the respect and fear Ohtani commands, calling him “arguably the best player on the planet.”
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts praised the Blue Jays’ tactical decision, viewing it as an ultimate sign of respect toward Ohtani’s talent. “You just don’t see that type of behavior from opposing managers,” Roberts said, highlighting how unusual and telling it is for a team to intentionally avoid pitching to a single player so consistently. Roberts echoed Schneider’s high praise for Ohtani, referring to him as “the best player on the planet.” The Dodgers manager also remarked on Ohtani’s remarkable stamina and focus, especially considering the length of the game and the physical toll of repeatedly running the bases and performing at such a high level.
However, while the Blue Jays’ new strategy to walk Ohtani might seem prudent, it does come with a significant caveat: the Dodgers’ lineup behind Ohtani is formidable. After intentionally walking the Dodgers’ most dangerous hitter, the Blue Jays still face two former Most Valuable Players in Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman. Both are elite hitters in their own right, capable of changing the course of a game with one swing. In fact, it was Freeman who ended the marathon Game 3 with a dramatic home run in the 18th inning, giving the Dodgers a walk-off victory. This was the first walk-off win in the World Series since Freeman’s grand slam ended Game 1 of last year’s Fall Classic.
Schneider acknowledged this challenge, noting that sometimes you have to accept that you’re going to be beaten by someone, and if it’s Betts or Freeman, it “still stings.” Nevertheless, he remained focused on his team’s overall execution and their efforts to contain the Dodgers’ dangerous lineup, even if it means giving Ohtani free passes.
Looking ahead to Game 4, the Blue Jays will face an even greater challenge. Ohtani is scheduled to make his World Series pitching debut, a development that makes it impossible for Toronto to simply avoid him at the plate. Ohtani’s dual-threat ability as both a hitter and a pitcher is what