The Los Angeles Dodgers left Toronto with momentum and a consequential decision: whether to deploy Shohei Ohtani as a starter in a winner-take-all Game 7. After celebrating a Game 6 victory Friday night — a win punctuated by Ohtani’s eighth-inning double and visible scenes of teammates Mookie Betts, Tyler Glasnow, Freddie Freeman and Kiké Hernández embracing on the field — manager Dave Roberts described Ohtani as a possibility to take the ball in the decisive game.

Ohtani’s presence in Game 6 underlined why the two-way phenomenon remains central to Dodgers strategy. He not only delivered at the plate but also served as a fulcrum of clubhouse energy, seen exchanging words with catcher Will Smith in the late innings. The decision to start him in Game 7, however, carries heavy tactical implications: deploying Ohtani as a pitcher in a do-or-die contest could alter bullpen usage, impact matchups late into the game and force opponents to recalibrate their lineup and strategy in a manner few individual players can provoke.

From a performance perspective, Roberts faces the classic managerial trade-off between maximizing short-term win probability and managing a unique player’s workload for long-term effectiveness. A Game 7 start would leverage Ohtani’s ace-caliber arm and the psychological edge of his two-way threat, possibly intimidating opponents and changing how the Toronto lineup constructs its approach. Conversely, the move would place enormous physical demand on a player whose dual role is still managed conservatively in high-stakes postseason environments.

Beyond Xs and Os, the stakes extend into business and cultural terrain. Ohtani remains one of the most marketable athletes globally; his involvement in a deciding World Series game guarantees heightened television audiences, spike in merchandise sales and disproportionate media attention for the Dodgers and Major League Baseball. For the league, the optics of an Ohtani start align with strategic objectives: expanding the international footprint, particularly in Japan, while promoting baseball’s narrative of innovation and star-driven entertainment.

Culturally, Ohtani’s possible Game 7 start resonates with issues of representation and transnational fandom. As a Japanese superstar who has bridged MLB and Japanese baseball fandom, Ohtani embodies the sport’s increasingly cosmopolitan identity. His performance and visibility on the largest stage amplify conversations about Asian athletes in American sports and serve as an aspirational touchpoint for diverse youth audiences.

The Dodgers’ decision will be scrutinized not only for its immediate competitive consequences but for what it signals about how modern baseball balances star power, health science and entertainment imperatives. In a sport that prizes depth and process, choosing to center a do-or-die strategy around one generational talent reflects both the desperation and the opportunity inherent in a Game 7. Whatever Roberts decides, the choice and its outcome will reverberate across the sport’s business, cultural and tactical landscapes.