⚾ MLB News Article
The Toronto Blue Jays faced a nearly unstoppable force in Shohei Ohtani, but despite his offensive explosion, they remain confident in their intentional walk strategy designed to limit the two-way superstar’s damage.
Even after Ohtani’s three-hit, two-homer night, the Blue Jays coaching staff insists they won’t deviate from their plan — even if it means giving him free passes in key situations.
🔹 Ohtani’s Offensive Showcase
Ohtani was in peak form, blasting two home runs and driving in five RBIs to lead the Los Angeles Dodgers to a commanding win. His latest performance raised his batting average to an eye-popping .347 for the season, reaffirming his place as one of the most dangerous hitters in baseball.
“You can’t pitch scared,” Ohtani said postgame. “If they walk me, that’s fine — I trust the guys behind me to make them pay.”
🔹 Toronto’s Tactical Dilemma
For the Blue Jays, Ohtani’s power surge was a reminder of how slim the margin for error is. Manager John Schneider defended the decision to pitch carefully, explaining that walking Ohtani strategically keeps Toronto’s pitchers from serving up game-changing home runs.
“You pick your battles,” Schneider said. “He’s one of the few hitters where walking him sometimes is the smart play. We just need to execute better against the rest of their lineup.”
Despite issuing three intentional walks to Ohtani in recent matchups, Toronto’s bullpen has still struggled to contain the Dodgers’ supporting cast — particularly Freddie Freeman and Will Smith, who continue to deliver clutch hits when Ohtani gets on base.
🔹 The Numbers Don’t Lie
- Ohtani’s 2025 stats (so far):
- .347 AVG, 42 HRs, 103 RBIs, 1.128 OPS
- Vs. Blue Jays (this series):
- 5-for-9, 3 HRs, 8 RBIs, 3 walks
Toronto pitchers admit that pitching around Ohtani can backfire when others in the Dodgers lineup capitalize — but the numbers show that challenging him directly has been even more costly.
🔹 Looking Ahead
With one more game left in the series, the Blue Jays plan to stay the course. Expect more intentional walks, off-speed mix-ups, and a focus on neutralizing the hitters behind Ohtani rather than testing the league’s most complete player.
As Schneider put it:
“If you try to beat Shohei straight up right now, you lose. The goal is to make someone else do the damage.”
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