Dave Roberts took exception to comments from Chicago Cubs manager Craig Counsell on Monday about a rule that makes Shohei Ohtani an exception.
“He’s an exception because he’s an exceptional player,” the Dodgers manager told reporters after his team’s 12-3 victory against the Colorado Rockies.
Addressing the rash of injuries to Cubs pitchers and whether teams should have more roster flexibility than the rules currently allow, Counsell questioned the fairness of the MLB rule that allows Ohtani to be excluded from the 13-pitcher roster maximum because he is a two-way player.
“There’s not another player like that, but one team gets different rules for that player,” Counsell told reporters.
MLB rosters are capped at 26 players, up to 13 of whom can be designated as pitchers. Players designated as position players are not allowed to pitch unless a game is in extra innings or there is at least a six-run differential in the score when they take the mound.
Teams can also designate two-way players — players who are both position players and pitchers — if they meet certain criteria: In the previous season they must have pitched at least 20 major league innings and started at least 20 major league games as a position player or designated hitter, with at least three plate appearances in each of those games.
Ohtani, who won most valuable player awards in four of the last five seasons, is the lone two-way player. Counsell termed the rule “bizarre.”
“There’s one team that’s allowed to carry basically one of both, and that he gets special consideration,” he said. “Which is probably the most bizarre rule.”
Roberts offered a pointed rebuttal.
“It certainly benefits us, because we have the player,” he said. “But that’s something that, any team that had Ohtani would have that player.
“We’re more than willing for other teams to go out and find a player who can do both,”
The rule exception helps the Dodgers in one obvious way: They can utilize a six-man starting rotation while maintaining the full complement of eight relievers. Any other team using six starters would be down to seven relievers.
The topic likely will be revisited when the Cubs visit the Dodgers for a three-game series this weekend.
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