Terry Francona speaks during series against LA Dodgers video
Cincinnati Reds manager Terry Francona speaks ahead of the National League Wild Card Series game against the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Reds manager Terry Francona said there are two big reasons he would never intentionally walk Shohei Ohtani.The two reasons Reds manager Terry Francona said he wouldn’t intentionally walk Shohei Ohtani were Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman, like Ohtani former MVPs.
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).
“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?”
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.”
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.”