World Series fans fume over Shohei Ohtani getting 'special treatment' from MLB umpires in Game 7: 'It's bulls***'

Shohei Ohtani left World Series fans furious on Saturday night after he was granted extra time to warm up before pitching for the Los Angeles Dodgers.

As Fox Sports returned from a commercial break at the top of the first inning, Ohtani had only just emerged from the dugout to go through his full warm-up before taking the mound against the Toronto Blue Jays.

MLB pitchers typically have to follow a three-minute timer between innings, with umpires imposing a pace-of-play violation if they fail to start within that time.

Yet despite Ohtani taking roughly four-and-a-half minutes each time, umpires did not appear to rush him and instead reset the clock in both the first and third inning so he could go through his warm-up.   

Blue Jays manager John Schneider complained several times about the delay, only for his protests to fall on deaf ears - leaving baseball fans to conclude that 'special treatment' was being afforded to the Dodgers' two-way sensation.

'I’m sorry this is complete BS,' one user moaned on X. '@MLB giving Ohtani extra time? The special treatment for this guy is garbage. I know he’s you money bags, but it’s bad for baseball'.

Another fan said: '@MLB trying to fix it for the @Dodgers. Clearly it should be the same rules for all teams and players.'

'If we’re worried about an injury, maybe pull your over worked superstar (best ever, no doubt) out of the game. Shouldn’t get even more special treatment than he already does. Love Ohtani, but that’s BS,' wrote a third.

A fourth fumed: 'They cheating for him it’s bulls***'.

While a fifth stressed: 'Shouldn't be special rules for anyone.'

Despite the fury from fans and Schneider, the MLB's website appears to explain why Ohtani was granted extra time to warm up in between innings.

The pace-of-play rules state: 'For between-innings breaks, the timer begins when the final out of the inning is recorded, with several exceptions. If the pitcher is on base, on deck or at bat when the inning ends, the timer begins when the pitcher leaves the dugout for the mound.'

A rule change from 2023 also reads: 'Umpires may provide extra time if warranted by special circumstances. (So if, as an example, a catcher were to be thrown out on the bases to end the previous half-inning and needed additional time to put on his catching gear, the umpire could allow it.) 

Ohtani was on base to end the top of the first and made the last out in the top of the third, meaning umpires were allowed to give him the time he needed to get ready.

Nevertheless, that extra time did not end up helping the Japanese star, who was pulled off the mound after allowing Bo Bichette's three-run homer in the third inning.

Pitching on three days of rest, Ohtani was up to 100.9mph with his fastball but appeared to run out of steam in the third. After hustling to field Nathan Lukes' sacrifice bunt, he threw a wild pitch to Vladimir Guerrero Jr.

Dodgers manager Dave Roberts intentionally walked Guerrero after that, and Ohtani's next pitch, his 51st, was a hanging slider that Bichette hit 442 feet.

It was Bichette's first homer since September 2, a few days before suffering the left knee injury still hampering him in this Series.

Ohtani allowed three runs and five hits in 2 1/3 innings before he was replaced by Wrobleski, walking two and striking out three.