The Shohei Ohtani Rule is going to dictate what happens with Ohtani in Game 7 of the World Series.
The Los Angeles Dodgers are incentivized to start Ohtani on the mound, even with short rest.
If MLB had never made the "Ohtani Rule" in 2022, maybe that wouldn't be true. But with the rule? It'd be silly not to start Ohtani, if the Dodgers plan on pitching him at some point.
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Why Dodgers' Game 7 starter has to be Shohei Ohtani
The Ohtani Rule only works if Ohtani is the starting pitcher.
The MLB rule allows a team to keep its starting pitcher in the lineup as the DH after he is removed from the mound.
It does not apply to relief pitchers.
If Ohtani came on in relief and then was pulled from pitching, the only way to keep him in the lineup would be to move him to the outfield. And when that happened, the lineup's DH spot would be forfeited, and the next pitcher would be in the lineup.
So the only way for the Dodgers to guarantee Ohtani in the lineup as the DH the whole Game 7 is to start him on the mound.
It'll be slightly short rest, yes. But if the plan is for Ohtani to pitch at some point, then they should use the strategy that maximizes their two-way superstar.
And that's to give him the ball from the first batter of the bottom of the first onward in Toronto and see how long he can go.
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