Shohei Ohtani is set to pitch in Game 7 tonight. He’ll be taking the mound just three days after his six-inning performance in Game 4. Manager Dave Roberts is keeping things flexible, saying he’s unsure how long Ohtani will pitch and wants to adapt based on the situation.
This season has been unusual for Ohtani. After injuring his shoulder during the 2024 World Series, he returned to the mound slowly, not pitching until mid-June. Balancing his responsibilities as a hitter and pitcher, Ohtani had to regain his form in major league games instead of going on a rehab assignment. He started with just one inning in his first two outings, gradually increasing to three innings by the end of July. By August’s end, he completed five innings in one start, then capped off his regular season with a six-inning game.
So far, he’s had at least five days of rest between starts. The postseason schedule has helped too, giving him 12 days between his NLDS and NLCS starts, followed by another 10-day rest before his World Series appearance.
Despite some worries about his workload, Ohtani’s performance has been stellar. He finished the regular season with a 2.87 ERA and showed even better advanced metrics with an xFIP of 2.45 and a SIERA of 2.67. He entered the playoffs riding three straight scoreless starts, continuing that success with quality outings in both the NLDS and NLCS.
Now, as the pressure mounts in Game 7, there’s speculation about using Yoshinobu Yamamoto, who pitched dominantly in earlier games. After another impressive showing in Game 6, allowing just one earned run in six innings, Yamamoto has a postseason ERA of 1.56 over 34 2/3 innings. While he might be ready to pitch, he likely won’t be called upon directly, given the relief pitchers’ freshness.
In terms of lineup changes, Roberts has kept much of the same batting order, only swapping Max Muncy and Teoscar Hernandez. Mookie Betts is back to hitting cleanup. He struggled earlier in the series, but made a key hit in Game 6, driving in two runs. Before that hit, he had been just 3-for-24 in the series.
Muncy’s placement has changed too. He’ll hit fifth for the second time, facing Max Scherzer, who has struggled against left-handed hitters this season. With Scherzer allowing a .545 slugging percentage to lefties, the adjustment could give Muncy a great chance to capitalize early.
Looking at how Ohtani has performed this postseason, experts like former MLB pitcher John Smoltz have noted that strong pitching and strategic batting order can heavily influence outcomes in high-stakes games like this. As fans and analysts await the game, the excitement builds around Ohtani, Yamamoto, and the Dodgers’ lineup adjustments.
The strategies and performance of both teams will undoubtedly make for an intense Game 7. For more insights on playoff strategies and pitching performance analysis, you can explore ESPN’s latest reports.
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