Is the Intentional Walk Still Worth It in Baseball?
Toronto – The intentional walk is becoming a topic of debate in baseball. Fans paying up to $1,371 for a World Series game want excitement, not just players walking to first base.
During Game 3, the Los Angeles Dodgers faced off against the Toronto Blue Jays. Star player Shohei Ohtani was intentionally walked four times, reminding many of Barry Bonds’ record of being intentionally walked 668 times during his career. Watching Ohtani, often called the best player today, being walked isn’t what fans expect when they buy those expensive tickets.
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts admitted he understands this view. The no-pitch intentional walk rule, introduced in 2017, allows a manager to avoid pitching to a star player. In other sports, fans don’t see a rival team sidestepping the best players quite like this. For instance, in football, you can’t take the ball away from a top quarterback, like Patrick Mahomes.
“It’s not what people come to see,” Roberts noted. “It feels unfair.”
Even though Ohtani might get on base, it doesn’t always guarantee success. The Dodgers are struggling in the World Series, hitting just .201. Mookie Betts, who stands behind Ohtani in the batting order, is only 3-for-23.
In Game 3, Ohtani set a record by reaching base nine times, but Blue Jays manager John Schneider kept opting to walk him. This move backfired when Freddie Freeman hit a game-winning home run in the 18th inning.
Schneider expressed his regret afterwards. “I’d rather have anyone else beat us than Ohtani,” he said.
Freeman understands the strategy but sees the drawbacks. He later mentioned how sometimes the game works in mysterious ways. The 18-inning marathon could have avoided the long hours if teams had to confront the star player more directly.
Some experts weigh in on this issue, suggesting that rule changes need to happen. Baseball historian and analyst John Thorne said, “Intentionally walking great players can cheapen the game. It’s time to rethink that strategy.”
Historically, Bonds faced intense scrutiny when intentionally walked, especially in significant games, but still managed to shine.
Ohtani, unlike Bonds and the legendary Babe Ruth who had to give up pitching after early years, continues to excel in both pitching and hitting. This uniqueness adds another layer to the current conversation.
Interestingly, Ohtani has only been intentionally walked 88 times overall in his career, with just 20 occurring during the regular season this year. In the postseason, he’s been walked intentionally only eight times.
Baseball fans today still remember the tactics used against Bonds in the 2002 World Series, where he was walked several times. Despite the attempts to sidestep him, Bonds still managed to lead that postseason with an impressive performance.
As the debates around the intentional walk continue, many fans share similar sentiments on social media, expressing a desire to see the best players hit. The question remains: Is it time for baseball to re-evaluate this tactic?
For a deeper dive into the impact of intentional walks in baseball, you can check out the MLB website for the latest statistics and analyses.
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Los Angeles Dodgers,MLB,shohei ohtani,Toronto Blue Jays
