TORONTO — Yoshinobu Yamamoto did not go the distance, but this World Series will.
A Dodgers team on the brink of elimination beat the Blue Jays, 3-1, on Friday night at Rogers Centre, forcing a winner-take-all Game 7. With everything on the line, everything is on the table, and L.A. could push an intriguing button right from the jump.
Following Game 6, manager Dave Roberts said that “everyone will be available” to pitch on Saturday night, with the starter still to be determined — while acknowledging that Shohei Ohtani is “a possibility” to be the first man up. The two-way superstar will be working on three days of rest after starting on the mound in Game 4 in L.A., when he was charged with the loss after allowing four runs in six-plus innings.
Afterward, Ohtani said he was planning on being available to pitch later in the Series. Typically, that would mean he would be used out of the bullpen at some point, but the rule concerning the usage of two-way players applies differently to starters than relievers. While Ohtani can remain in the game as the designated hitter after his start on the mound ends, the Dodgers would forfeit their DH if Ohtani entered in relief and did not finish the game on the mound.
That makes it simpler for the Dodgers to deploy Ohtani as the opener rather than only use him in a spot where he could reasonably finish the game, let alone have to figure out how to warm him up without his spot in the order coming up. Tyler Glasnow was in line to pitch bulk innings, and he should still be available after throwing only three pitches while recording his first career save in Game 6.
With Blake Snell also likely available in some capacity, the Dodgers have to like how they’re set up on the pitching side. Roki Sasaki threw 33 pitches in the eighth and ninth innings in Game 6, but with only one game remaining on the calendar, he should be an option.
The bigger concern for the Dodgers may be the offense.
In Game 6, they followed their formula for success this postseason, getting a quality start from Yamamoto (six innings of one-run ball) backed by just enough run support. The Dodgers were able to build a three-run third inning behind knocks from Will Smith and Mookie Betts, but otherwise, they created few chances against the Blue Jays’ pitching staff.
But it was enough, and their title defense remains alive.
