Los Angeles, April 9: Dodgers manager Dave Roberts has come to the defense of his two-way superstar, Shohei Ohtani. Following a challenging loss to the Toronto Blue Jays, Roberts stressed the importance of patience with Ohtani, who sometimes needs extra time between innings to prepare properly.
“Regarding the World Series, the Blue Jays expressed frustration about how long Shohei takes in between innings,” Roberts explained. “If he’s on the bases, some grace is necessary, which I believe the umpires are trying to provide. However, if you’re on the opposing side, you want to expedite his process and treat him like any other pitcher. The reality is, he’s different.”
Blue Jays Still Frustrated with Ohtani’s Two-Way Transition
The Blue Jays had issues with Ohtani’s timing during the World Series, and this concern resurfaced in Wednesday’s game. Blue Jays outfielder George Springer even approached the umpires about the time Ohtani was allowed to prepare for pitching. Last season, Blue Jays manager John Schneider voiced similar complaints about the duration Ohtani took to switch between pitching and hitting.
This season marks Ohtani’s first full year with the Dodgers as a two-way player without restrictions. So far, he has excelled on the mound. In two starts, the 31-year-old boasts a 1-0 record, a remarkable 0.00 ERA, eight strikeouts, a 0.75 WHIP, and has limited opponents to a .119 batting average over 12 innings.
On the offensive side, the four-time MVP has hit three home runs, driven in eight runs, and is currently slashing .286/.407/.524 with a .931 OPS.
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