During Game 7 of the World Series on Saturday night, Shohei Ohtani of the Los Angeles Dodgers received boos from Toronto Blue Jays fans as he approached the batter’s box. However, he quickly silenced the crowd with a single off Blue Jays pitcher Max Scherzer, making history by becoming the first starting pitcher in a Game 7 of the World Series to also record a hit.
The last time a starting pitcher had a hit in such a game was back in 1975, with Cincinnati Reds’ Don Garrett and Boston Red Sox’s Bill Lee both hitting safely. If Ohtani manages another hit, he would be the first-ever starting pitcher to achieve that feat in Game 7.
Scherzer kept his composure and went on to retire players Will Smith, Freddie Freeman, and Mookie Betts after their singles. Ohtani advanced to third base during the inning but unfortunately didn’t score.
The Dodgers aimed for a grand finale, with Ohtani starting on the mound just three days after his last appearance, despite rules that could limit his ability to bat and pitch simultaneously. Major League Baseball now allows starting pitchers who remain in the lineup to bat even after they leave the mound. This clever rule helps keep Ohtani’s bat in the game, provided he doesn’t switch roles too early in the game, which could jeopardize his batting presence.
Ohtani’s track record as a relief pitcher has been sparse; he has pitched just 8 1/3 innings historically, and his last time on the mound was in 2021. Given all this context, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts made the decision to put Ohtani on the starting mound to ensure his powerful bat could remain in play, although it’s uncertain how long Ohtani will stay in the game.
