LOS ANGELES – An 18-inning World Series game is unusual enough. But what made Game 3 of this World Series between the Dodgers and Blue Jays on Monday night even more unusual is that the guy who got on base a postseason-record nine times in the Dodgers’ 6-5 victory is now starting on the mound for them in Game 4.
Such is the unbelievable existence of Shohei Ohtani, who, on the heels of what tied for the longest World Series game in history, will try to give his Dodgers a commanding 3-1 lead in this best-of-seven when he opposes Blue Jays trade acquisition Shane Bieber on Tuesday night at Dodger Stadium. The Dodgers are just two wins away from winning back-to-back titles, and their confidence is sky-high with their two-way wonder taking the mound after his epic three-homer, 10-strikeout performance in their NLCS clincher earlier this month.
Superhuman though he may seem — especially in a game in which he hit two homers and two doubles and walked five times (four intentionally) — Ohtani was exhausted after Game 3.
Still, Ohtani wasn’t veering off schedule.
“He’s spent,” manager Dave Roberts said after Game 3. “He was on base eight, nine times tonight, running the bases. He’s elated. But yeah, he’s taking the mound tomorrow. He’ll be ready.”
A Blue Jays team that stranded 19 runners in Game 3 needs to be ready for him.
The Jays exploded on the Dodgers’ bullpen in Game 1 but were kept quiet by Yoshinobu Yamamoto in Game 2 and blew two leads in Game 3 to find themselves in this frustrating hole in their franchise’s first Fall Classic since 1993.
But Toronto manager John Schneider tried to provide perspective after the exhausting, deflating defeat in Game 3.
“They were in the right mindset and the right headspace the entire time,” he said. “It sucks that it’s late right now, we got to come back and do it again tomorrow, but these guys are going to be more than ready. The Dodgers didn’t win the World Series today, they won a game. These guys are going to be ready to go.”
When is the game and how can I watch it?
Game 4 is on Tuesday at Dodger Stadium, with first pitch scheduled for 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT on FOX.
All series are available in the US on MLB.TV with authentication to a participating Pay TV provider. Games also are available live internationally, although not in Canada. Sportsnet is MLB’s exclusive English language broadcaster in Canada for every Postseason game, while TVA Sports will be covering the entire AL Postseason and the World Series in French and Broadcaster RDS will cover the entire NL Postseason in French.
Who are the starting pitchers?
Blue Jays: RHP Shane Bieber (4-2, 3.57 ERA)
Just like most pitchers in this Blue Jays rotation and bullpen, every start Bieber has made for the past few weeks has been the biggest of his career. The results have been awfully mixed, though. Bieber had shorter outings of 2 2/3 innings against the Yankees and 3 2/3 innings against the Mariners, each of which could have been worse than the stat lines read (2 ER in each). The best we’ve seen from Bieber was his ALCS Game 3 start in Seattle, when he came back into the dugout after a tough first inning pleading with his teammates, “Pick me up.” Bieber knew he had his best stuff that night and he was right. That’s what he’ll need again to beat Ohtani and the Dodgers.
Dodgers: RHP Shohei Ohtani (1-1, 2.87 ERA)
Los Angeles’ Game 4 starting pitcher was on base nine times in Monday night’s 18-inning marathon. The last time Ohtani took the mound, he treated Dodger Stadium to the greatest show in baseball. In NLCS Game 4, Ohtani wowed by striking out 10 across six scoreless innings –- then added on three homers at the plate for good measure. The two-way superstar made his postseason pitching debut against the Phillies in the NLDS, tossing a quality start. While Ohtani’s buildup on the mound was strictly regimented for most of the year, the Dodgers are treating him like a regular starter now.
What are the starting lineups?
Blue Jays: This all depends on the status of George Springer, but after he exited Game 3 in a hurry with “right side tightness,” it feels likely that Springer will miss at least Game 4. That would leave the DH spot open, which could create an opportunity to keep Bo Bichette’s bat in the lineup. Who would lead off, though? Why not Ernie Clement, the contact machine who is hitting .386 in the postseason?
Dodgers: Facing another right-hander in Bieber, the Dodgers will go with a lineup that’s very similar to what we saw in the first three games; manager Dave Roberts’ only tweak from Game 3 was to flip Teoscar Hernández (No. 5) with Max Muncy (No. 6). There was a question of whether Roberts would stick with the struggling Andy Pages in center field or give Alex Call a look in the starting outfield instead, but Pages earned the nod for Game 4.
How will the bullpens line up after the starter?
Blue Jays: Well, everyone pitched. Every single reliever in the Blue Jays’ bullpen pitched behind Max Scherzer in Monday night’s Game 3 marathon, but the Dodgers are in a similar bind after emptying their ‘pen. If there’s one reliever who surely won’t be available to pitch in Game 4, it’s lefty Eric Lauer, who gave the Blue Jays 4 2/3 shutout innings on 68 pitches, blowing past any workload we’ve seen from him since he shifted to the bullpen following the acquisition of Bieber at the Trade Deadline. Jeff Hoffman threw two innings on 33 pitches, too, which is heavy for him, but the Blue Jays will need to ask a lot of their bullpen. It’s never been more important for Bieber to go deep into a game, especially with Ohtani starting for the Dodgers after a long, busy night on the bases Monday.
Any injuries of note?
Blue Jays: Springer left Game 3 with “right side tightness,” a worrying sign for the Blue Jays as their veteran leader immediately exited the field with John Schneider and a trainer. He’s gone for an MRI and results are expected prior to Game 4, but it’s clear that a roster move may be needed.
Bichette’s left knee sprain had been looming over this team, but he was finally activated for the World Series and has played in parts of each game. Game 3 saw him exit after a seventh-inning single, which seems to be the strategy. If the Blue Jays are leading, he’s removed late for defense. When they’ve been winning, he’s been lifted after reaching base late in the game.
Dodgers: Will Smith, who is dealing with a hairline fracture in his right hand, returned to the starting lineup during the NLDS and hasn’t missed a start since. Tommy Edman continues to manage his right ankle, which landed him on the injured list twice this year. Reliever Tanner Scott was not included on the World Series roster as he continues to recover from a lower body abscess procedure.
Who is hot and who is not?
Blue Jays: Alejandro Kirk is raking this postseason. He just launched his fifth home run of the postseason and has become one of the most important hitters in the lineup, stretching back to the final week of the regular season when he almost singlehandedly held off the Yankees. Addison Barger and Bichette both had two-hit nights in Game 3, while Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Clement continue to roll on with excellent postseasons, but if Springer is unable to play, they’ll need someone else to step up in a hurry.
Dodgers: Ohtani has officially heated up, coming off a 4-for-4 night in which he reached nine times overall in Game 3. Teoscar Hernández also had a four-hit night. Pages went 0-for-5 and is hitting .083 overall. Roberts said he is considering sitting Pages amid his slump, although the Dodgers would likely have to put a lesser defender in center field as a result.
• Ohtani tied Corey Seager’s franchise record set in 2020 for the most homers in a single postseason with his eighth in Game 3.
