Dodgers and Blue Jays talk about what makes Shohei Ohtani a special player
USA TODAY Sports interviewed members of the Dodgers and Blue Jays ahead of the World Series to discuss Shohi Ohtani’s unique talent.
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LOS ANGELES — Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts didn’t try to hide it. After 18 epic innings of Game 3 of the World Series, he needed a sleeping pill.
Just a few hours later, the principals met again for Game 4. This match may be referred to as “The Day After” from now on.
This means little rest for anyone, especially Shohei Ohtani, who will be added to his starting pitching duties for Game 4 after reaching base in the ninth inning in Game 3.
“He’s doing very well, in very good condition,” Roberts said of Ohtani. “I expect him to be ready for today.
“This guy is a different kind of athlete and has a different kind of brain.”
The Toronto Blue Jays will be competing with Shane Bieber, but they hope their roster isn’t too compromised by injuries. They are expressing the status of leadoff hitter George Springer hour by hour, but they are not making any changes to the roster to replace him, who put a strain on the team in Game 3.
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LOS ANGELES – Shane Bieber is giving the Blue Jays exactly what they need to get back in this World Series.
Bieber allowed just two hits through the fourth inning of Game 4, showing the efficiency needed to give the Blue Jays an extra innings after an 18-inning loss the night before.
He also struck out the great Shohei Ohtani, breaking his streak of 10 consecutive on-base hits as the Blue Jays held a 2-1 lead entering the fifth inning.
Bieber threw 18 pitches in each of the first three innings and needed just 12 pitches to avoid a two-out walk to Tommy Edman in the fourth. It’s 66 pitches, so he’s ready to throw at least six innings.
LOS ANGELES – Yes, the Blue Jays have a superstar of their own. And Vladimir Guerrero Jr. can have a huge impact on a game, even if he only plays on one side of the ball.
Guerrero smashed Ohtani’s sweeper with a 395-foot fly ball over the left-center field fence, ending the Blue Jays’ scoreless streak in the World Series after 13 innings and giving the Blue Jays a 2-1 lead as Game 4 headed into the bottom of the third inning.
Guerrero’s home run came at a critical juncture in the series, which the Dodgers won in 18 innings in Game 3 and scored the first run. And the home run was a boon to Toronto’s plan to be aggressive early against Ohtani, who started two games this year in the playoffs and posted a 2.25 ERA.
LOS ANGELES – The Toronto Blue Jays might want to keep the hardest-working man in baseball working a little longer on their busiest night in the World Series.
Instead, the Blue Jays appear intent on ambushing Shohei Ohtani. And so far, it’s made life easier for the two-way superstar.
Six of the Blue Jays’ first eight teams whiffed on the first pitch against Ohtani, resulting in seven pitches in the second inning and only 26 pitches after the second inning. Meanwhile, a walk by Max Muncy and a sacrifice fly by Quique Hernandez gave the Dodgers a 1-0 lead, marking the fourth time in the series that they had taken the lead.
Ohtani drew a walk in the first inning and reached base in all 10 innings in his two at-bats at Dodger Stadium. But pitcher Ohtani will be under even more scrutiny tonight. And despite giving up a walk to Bo Bichette and allowing a single to Addison Berger in the first inning, he is a pitcher who has so far risen to the challenge perfectly.
Less than 18 hours after getting on base in the ninth inning of Game 3, Shohei Ohtani took the mound for the Dodgers as the starting pitcher for Game 4 and pitched a scoreless first inning, hitting two runners with a walk and an infield hit.
LOS ANGELES — George Springer was deemed “minute-to-minute” the afternoon before Tuesday’s game and was removed from the Toronto Blue Jays’ Game 4 starting lineup.
Although an MRI test on Springer’s right side came back negative after Game 3, Blue Jays manager John Schneider said the team has no plans to finish the season with him on the roster. Springer was already in physical danger after hitting his right knee in the ALCS. Schneider did not reveal the specific nature of the MRI after Game 3.
Infielder Bo Bichette (who himself was sidelined with a knee injury 48 days before the World Series) started as the designated hitter in Springer’s absence, and the batting lineup was drastically changed from one to nine players.
LOS ANGELES — Has this World Series reached the point where a position player will suffer the humiliation of pitching in a tied Game 3?
We’ll never know for sure thanks to Freddie Freeman’s walk-off home run in the bottom of the 18th inning, but the next day Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts admitted there were only two options if the game had been pushed to the 19th inning.
It was either Game 2 starting pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto (who pitched on one day off) or utility infielder Miguel Rojas.
- Nathan Rooks (left) LF
- Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (R) 1B
- Beau Bichette (R) DH
- Addison Berger (L) RF
- Alejandro Kirk (R) C
- Dalton Varsho (left) CF
- Ernie Clement(R) 3B
- Andres Jimenez (left) SS
- Isaiah Kinner Children(R) 2B
- Shohei Otani (left) P
- Mookie Betts(R) SS
- Freddie Freeman (left) 1B
- Will Smith(R)C
- Teoscar Hernandez (R) RF
- Max Muncy (L) 3B
- Tommy Edman(S) 2B
- Enrique Hernandez (R) LF
- Andy Pages(R) CF
- Gabe Lux: Dodgers 6, Blue Jays 2
- bob nightengale: Dodgers 7, Blue Jays 4
- Jesse Yomtov: Blue Jays 5, Dodgers 2
- steve gardner: Blue Jays 7, Dodgers 6
- JAbout Hofring: Dodgers 6, Blue Jays 3
LOS ANGELES — Will Klein didn’t wake anyone up Monday morning.
He went to bed early on a Tuesday morning that is etched into Los Angeles Dodgers lore.
With one minute left, he’s the last man left in the Dodgers’ bullpen. Next, he shakes hands with the legendary Sandy Koufax.
As he drove to Dodger Stadium Monday morning, he wondered if any of his old friends and coaches realized he was playing in the World Series. He received 500 text messages after being a hero in the Dodgers’ 6-5 18th inning victory over the Toronto Blue Jays in the World Series, woke up to 500 more, and left Dodger Stadium wondering how so many people had his cell phone number.
“I woke up this morning and it didn’t feel like what happened last night,” Klein said. “So, yeah, it was like an out-of-body experience.”
What will happen to this year’s World Series? use of dynasty league baseball In the online simulation, USA TODAY Sports’ Steve Gardner and DLB Designer Mike Cieslinski will pre-play each match and provide insight into the key matchups and strategies fans can expect in the Fall Classic.
Before Game 4 of the World Series, Tinashe sang the American national anthem and Deborah Cox sang the Canadian national anthem.
Toronto Blue Jays participate in the World Series
Toronto won World Series championships in 1992 (vs. Braves) and 1993 (vs. Phillies), but this is the only time in franchise history that the club has advanced to the Fall Classic since play began in 1977.
Toronto Blue Jays World Series Roster
Pitcher (12): RHP Chris Bassitt, RHP Shane Bieber, RHP Seranthony Dominguez, RHP Braydon Fisher, LHP Mason Fluharty, RHP Kevin Guzman, RHP Jeff Hoffman, LHP Eric Lauer, LHP Brendon Little, RHP Max Scherzer, RHP Lewis Berland, RHP Trey Yesavage.
Position Player (14): C Tyler Heineman, C Alejandro Kirk, INF/OF Addison Berger, INF Beau Bichette, INF Ernie Clement, INF Ty France, INF Andres Jimenez, INF Vladimir Guerrero Jr., INF Isaiah Kinner-Falefa, OF Nathan Rooks, OF Davis Schneider, OF George Springer, OF Miles Stroh, OF Dalton Varsho.
Los Angeles Dodgers World Series Roster
Pitcher (12): LHP Anthony Banda, LHP Jack Dryer, RHP Tyler Glasnow, RHP Edgardo Enriquez, LHP Clayton Kershaw, RHP Will Klein, RHP Aki Sasaki, RHP Emmett Sheehan, LHP Blake Snell, RHP Blake Treinen, LHP Justin Robleski, RHP Yoshinobu Yamamoto.
Position, dual wielder (14): SS Mookie Betts, OF Alex Cole, OF Justin Dean, INF/OF Tommy Edman, 1B Freddie Freeman, INF/OF Quique Hernandez, OF Teoscar Hernandez, INF/OF Kim Hye-sung, 3B Max Muncy, DH/P Shohei Ohtani, OF Andy Pages, INF Miguel Rojas, C Ben Rothvedt, C. Will Smith.
World Series 2025 Schedule
- Game 1: Blue Jays 11, Dodgers 4
- Game 2: Dodgers 5, Blue Jays 1
- Game 3: Dodgers 6, Blue Jays 5 (18 innings)
- Game 4: October 28th 8pm ET/5pm PDT
- Game 5: October 29th, 8:00 PM ET/5:00 PM PDT
- Game 6: October 31, if necessary.
- Game 7: Nov. 1, if needed.
The first pitch for Game 4 is scheduled. 8pm ET at Dodger Stadium.
