Toronto Blue Jays manager John Schneider appeared to voice his concerns to the umpire after the first inning of Game 7 of the World Series in a heated moment. The conversation took place following the innings, with Schneider reportedly expressing dissatisfaction with the time spent by Los Angeles Dodgers’ two-way player Shohei Ohtani during the warm-up phase after his at-bat in the top of the inning. The incident occurred in a context where Ohtani, who was both hitting and pitching in the game, was trying to break a long-standing 50-year drought as the first pitcher since 1975 to record a hit and also start Game 7 of the World Series. Despite his historic hit not resulting in an immediate run, the Blue Jays were able to navigate the first inning without further complications.
Fox Sport’s John Smoltz highlighted the significant discrepancy in warm-up times, stating that Ohtani received around three minutes to prepare, compared to the typically 90 seconds reserved for starting pitchers who do not hit. The situation, while tense, remained calm, with no aggressive exchange of words or actions. Ohtani followed his at-bat with two strikeouts in the bottom of the inning, including a notable strikeout of Vladimir Guerrero Jr., which set up a throwout of George Springer by the catcher Will Smith. Springer appeared perplexed as he returned to the dugout, but the inning finished without further developments.
In the bottom of the second inning, the Blue Jays found themselves with the bases loaded, but Ohtani proved to be an effective pitcher, helping the Dodgers avoid a potential crisis. The game remains in the balance, with both teams continuing to play for the ultimate prize. The incident serves as a reminder that even in the high-stakes environment of the World Series, moments of tension can arise and the conduct of the players and coaches can have an impact on the game’s dynamics.