Ohtani to start World Series Game 7 on 3 days' rest

The Los Angeles Dodgers will turn to three-time MVP Shohei Ohtani to start Game 7 of the World Series against the Toronto Blue Jays on Saturday.

Ohtani last pitched in Game 4 on Tuesday, allowing four runs on six hits and one walk while striking out six over six innings as the starter. He threw 93 pitches in the loss.

Saturday was Tyler Glasnow's expected day to pitch. However, the flamethrowing right-hander acted as the Game 6 closer after Roki Sasaki allowed the first two batters of the ninth to reach base in his second inning of work. Glasnow required only three pitches to earn the save and he's expected to be available for multiple innings during Game 7.

Manager Dave Roberts added that Game 6 starter Yoshinobu Yamamoto made himself available for Saturday's game on zero days' rest, according to Bill Shaikin of the Los Angeles Times. Yamamoto, who threw 96 pitches on Friday, was seen warming up in the Rogers Centre outfield pregame Saturday.

Ohtani has only pitched on short rest once before in his MLB career. The appearance came in 2023 when he was a member of the Los Angeles Angels after an abbreviated outing due to a rain delay. He wound up throwing seven shutout innings against the Kansas City Royals, racking up 11 strikeouts, in his next game.

The Blue Jays will counter with future Hall of Famer Max Scherzer. Scherzer started Game 3 opposite Glasnow, allowing three runs on five hits and one walk over 4 1/3 innings. This will be the second time in Scherzer's storied career that he starts a World Series Game 7. Scherzer is the fourth pitcher to make multiple World Series Game 7 starts, joining Bob Gibson (1964, '67, '68), Don Larsen (1957, '58), and Lew Burdette (1957, '58).

Jays manager John Schneider stated that Game 5 starter Trey Yesavage "will definitely be a part of Game 7," according to theScore's Brandon Wile. He added that staff ace Kevin Gausman "kind of emptied the tank" during Friday night's Game 6.