Blue Jays object to Shohei Ohtani's extra time getting ready to pitch

TORONTO — The Toronto Blue Jays on Wednesday raised an objection with the umpiring crew over how long Shohei Ohtani takes between innings to get ready to pitch, resurrecting a complaint Toronto shared during the World Series last year.The Los Angeles Dodgers two-way player led off the Blue Jays’ 4-3 victory with a walk and remained on base for the remainder of the first inning. Ohtani returned to the dugout and didn’t take the mound to warm up until less than a minute remained on the two-minute clock. When that time was extended, Blue Jays slugger George Springer appeared to approach home-plate umpire Dan Merzel to ask how much time Ohtani had left. Some drama between the #BlueJays and #Dodgers. George Springer approached HP umpire Dan Bellino to inquire about the amount of warmup time for Shohei Ohtani. Dave Roberts was visibly annoyed in the dugout. (📹: @sportsnet) #BlueJays50 pic.twitter.com/HwghO9tdnQ — Daniele Franceschi (@Daniele_Media) April 8, 2026The two-minute clock is subject to the umpire’s discretion, and Ohtani is usually given extra time — especially following a half-inning in which he participated offensively. It’s not uncommon for opposing managers to raise the issue during an Ohtani start, including in Toronto during last year’s World Series. The Game 7 broadcast showed Blue Jays manager John Schneider complaining to umpire Jordan Baker about how much time Ohtani was given.Advertisement