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Los Angeles Dodgers two-way player Shohei Ohtani is breaking baseball norms by pitching and hitting at an elite level, but not all baseball fans appreciate his gifts and handle him with patience.
During the 2025 World Series, Toronto Blue Jays manager David Schneider complained about the amount of time that Ohtani was getting in between his pitching time and his first at-bat.
Ohtani is the leadoff hitter for the Dodgers, meaning he sometimes needs to pitch during innings and then get ready to hit immediately after or vice versa.
He needs to take off his pitching glove and hat, put on his helmet and hitting accessories, and get a feel for his bat.
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Apr 8, 2026; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Shohei Ohtani (17) reacts after a pitch against the Toronto Blue Jays during the second inning at Rogers Centre. Mandatory Credit: John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images
On other occasions, he is on base or gets out to end the inning, leading him to take all his hitting gear, get his pitching glove, and warm up a bit before getting ready to pitch.
Typically, the umpires grant Ohtani additional time to get settled because of his constant switching on days when he starts and hits.
However, on Wednesday, April 8, Blue Jays star George Springer voiced his disappointment about the time in between innings.
George Springer addresses the Ohtani delay
A video of Springer talking to the umpire as Ohtani warmed up before getting started as a pitcher went viral, leading to a new conversation about whether or not the Japanese star is granted too much leeway.
In the video, manager Dave Roberts appeared visibly annoyed with Springer over his complaint, shaking his head as the Blue Jays player pleaded his case.
Blue Jays complained about Ohtani in the World Series
Blue Jays manager John Schneider made the complaint during Game 7, which Ohtani ended up starting. He felt like Ohtani was taking advantage of the discretion that the umpires give him.
“We were just talking about—we get that there’s extra time baked in there when he’s either at the plate…” Schneider said.
“We were just talking about kind of the time between innings. We know he gets extra time, but it was a little bit egregious we thought. So we were just talking about that.”
Former umpire Mark Carlson, who was on the Fox MLB broadcast, explained that the umpires are fully within their right to give Ohtani time, especially to avoid an injury.
“Actually, obviously Shohei’s a very unique player that he’s a two-way player,” Carlson said. “And as a pitcher, if he ends the inning at-bat, on-base or on deck, he gets the discretion of the umpires to allow him to have the appropriate time to pitch.”
Considering the wear on Ohtani’s body, MLB officials seem to want to ensure the Japanese star remains healthy, especially with modern baseball toll.
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