Bo Bichette’s third-inning home run knocked Shohei Ohtani off the mound and gave Toronto a 3-0 lead early in Game 7 of the World Series between the Blue Jays and Los Angeles Dodgers
21:16 ET, 01 Nov 2025
Shohei Ohtani was pulled off the mound early in Game 7
Shohei Ohtani’s time on the mound in World Series Game 7 ended faster than anyone expected. The Dodgers’ two-way star was chased off the hill in the third inning after Bo Bichette crushed a three-run homer that sent Toronto fans into a frenzy at Rogers Center. The Blue Jays second baseman was injured in September and returned to the team during Game 1 of the series.
The third inning began with Ohtani losing command of his stuff fast. After allowing a single to George Springer, who already has four postseason home runs, the Dodgers intentionally walked Vladimir Guerrero Jr. to set up a potential double play.
That choice instantly backfired when Bichette crushed an 88-mph slider down and away, driving it deep to centerfield for his first home run of the series and putting Toronto up, 3-0.
Springer and Guerrero scored as Bichette rounded the bases to a deafening roar, then Dodgers manager Dave Roberts walked out to the mound and requested the game ball from his two-way star.
READ MORE: John Schneider complains to umpire after Shohei Ohtani gets special treatment in World SeriesREAD MORE: Max Scherzer eye condition explained as Blue Jays star takes hill in World Series Game 7
The Japanese star was visibly stunned by the home run and displayed his reaction on the mound for the cameras. He looked back to see the hanging slider launch into the leftfield seats, then lowered his hands to his knees as fans cheered and jumped with excitement.
The play brought the Jays one stop closer to their third World Series championship ever. The final line on Ohtani’s pitching night was 2.1 innings, five hits, and three runs, all earned. He also had two walks, three strikeouts, and one home run allowed on 51 pitches, 31 of them for strikes.
Ohtani’s ERA climbed to 4.43 as lefthander Justin Wrobleski took over in relief.
Content cannot be displayed without consent
Moments after the Dodgers made the switch, tensions escalated between the two dugouts when Toronto second baseman Andres Gimenez was hit in the hand by Wrobleski, almost leading to a bench-clearing brawl. He threw multiple pitches up and in to Gimenez, trying to jam the Blue Jays’ nine-hole hitter off the plate.
During a fastball, Gimenez’s hand swung outward as the ball sailed high, hitting him directly and making him stumble down the line. Both bullpens emptied as umpires attempted to calm the escalating tension between the eager teams.
Ohtani’s night wasn’t over when he left the mound. Unlike most pitchers, he stayed in the lineup as the Dodgers’ designated hitter and immediately made an impact in his first at-bat after being pulled.
Content cannot be displayed without consent
In the top of the fifth inning, Ohtani lined a single to right field off reliever Louis Varland after singling in the first and lining out in the third. He gave Los Angeles a much-needed sign of life as their bats struggled throughout the night.
The fifth inning hit came just after Toronto pulled starter Max Scherzer, who delivered 4.1 strong innings before manager John Schneider went to the bullpen.
Scherzer gave up four hits and one run, a sacrifice fly to Teoscar Hernandez in the fourth that plated the Dodgers’ first run of the game.
