MLB Under Fire for Shohei Ohtani Rule Amid Dodgers-Blue Jays World Series

“Teams are upset that the Dodgers will have one more pitcher than everyone else on their roster since there’s a special exemption for Shohei Ohtani as a two-way player,” Nightingale wrote on Sept. 21. “If Ohtani is a starting pitcher, he can remain in the game as a DH once he’s replaced on the mound. 

“But if he starts the game as a DH and pitches out of the bullpen, the Dodgers would lose the DH once his relief appearance is over. The only way Ohtani could stay in the game would be moving to the outfield, where he hasn’t played since 2021.”

One fan points out, "This shouldn’t even be a hot take, but the fact that baseball changed a specific rule for Shohei Ohtani just so he could play as both a starting pitcher and designated hitter in the same game is completely unfair, and I’m not sure why it hasn’t been talked about more."

The ‘Ohtani Rule’ Takes Center Stage During Game 7 of the World Series Between the Dodgers and Blue Jays

There is no higher stakes than a World Series Game 7, prompting even more scrutiny to the rule. The spark for the controversy is a technical but consequential 2022 change to the DH (designated hitter) rule, unofficially known as the “Ohtani rule.”

Under the amendment, a player who is listed on the lineup card simultaneously as the starting pitcher and the designated hitter is treated, for substitution purposes, as two separate roster entries. This allows a starting pitcher who is removed from the mound to remain in the game as the DH, preserving his bat even after his pitching day is done.

The Dodgers Are Taking Advantage of the MLB Rule by Starting Shohei Ohtani in Game 7

Practically, the rule produces awkward lineup mechanics. If the Dodgers list Ohtani as the starting pitcher and the DH on the lineup card, he may be pulled from the mound and still bat as the DH. 

But if Ohtani begins the game only as the DH and later enters as a relief pitcher, the team would forfeit the DH the moment he is replaced on the mound.

That forces a secondary sacrifice. A position player already in the lineup would have to come out, altering defense and bench depth. The result is a series of tradeoffs in which teams must choose between keeping Ohtani’s bat in the order, preserving bullpen flexibility and protecting his health.