LOS ANGELES – Cincinnati Reds manager Terry Francona stared for a second before answering the question.
Would he consider intentionally walking Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani because of the danger the three-time MVP represents with men on base – like when he hit that two-run homer in the sixth inning of Game 1 the Reds-Dodgers playoff series (his second homer of the game).
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“You’re kidding, right?” Francona said during his media session before Game 2 of the wild-card series at Dodger Stadium. “Have you heard of Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman?”
Shohei Ohtani celebrates after hitting a home run in the first inning for the Dodgers in the National League wild card series game in Los Angeles.
Those two MVPs bat second and third in the Dodgers lineup, behind 55-homer leadoff man Ohtani.
“I think it would be a very poor decision,” Francona said. “He’s a really dangerous hitter. He’s also struck out 185 times this year. That’s where you have to get to.”
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In fact, the Reds were more successful against Ohtani than any other National League pitching staff during the regular season, holding him to 3-for-25 (.120) hitting with no homers, a .160 slugging percentage, seven strikeouts, four walks and a .401 OPS in six games.
“You start walking people in that lineup,” Francona said, “and you’re asking for trouble.”
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: The 2 reasons Cincinnati Reds’ Terry Francona won’t walk Shohei Ohtani