Blue Jays' Springer probes Ohtani's extended mound warm-up
Toronto Blue Jays outfielder George Springer spoke with the home plate umpire as Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Shohei Ohtani took extra time to warm up between innings during Wednesday's game at Rogers Centre. The exchange occurred after Ohtani had run the bases, prompting the delay beyond standard limits. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts addressed the moment postgame.
Ohtani, a two-way player who joined Major League Baseball from Japan in 2018, routinely receives additional preparation time when transitioning directly from offense to pitching. Inning breaks last two minutes and 15 seconds for local telecasts, with 30 more seconds for national broadcasts, yet umpires grant Ohtani leeway in these situations. The practice drew notice in Game 7 of the 2025 World Series against Toronto, when Blue Jays manager John Schneider discussed it with an umpire.
Ohtani carries a .896 OPS and 0.00 ERA early this season, following a 2025 campaign with 55 home runs and a 2.87 ERA. He has earned multiple Silver Slugger awards and remains in the Cy Young conversation.
Roberts acknowledged the Blue Jays' frustration. "Just talking about the World Series, I think they were a little frustrated about how long Shohei takes in between innings. But if he’s on the bases, there’s got to be some grace, which the umpires are trying to give him," he said. "Yeah, if you’re on the other side, you’re trying to rush him as much as possible and treat him like any other pitcher. But the truth is that he’s different. But I understand their gripe."