Dave Roberts has a rule-bending Shohei Ohtani decision to make in Game 7

Thanks to a wedged ball and a game-ending double play on Friday night, the Los Angeles Dodgers have forced the 2025 World Series into a Game 7. Heading into Saturday's game, all eyes will be fixed on Dodgers manager Dave Roberts and how he plans to deploy Shohei Ohtani.

Prior to Game 6, Roberts had already revealed that all options will be on the table. The Dodgers skipper suggested that Ohtani could start Game 7 as an opener, come on in relief, or even find his way into the outfield.

But Roberts has to be careful how he handles this situation. While the idea of Ohtani closing out the game in the ninth inning — thereby propelling the Dodgers to their second straight World Series title — would be must-watch television, there's a tremendous risk that comes with such a strategy.

Dodgers manager Dave Roberts has a tough decision centered around Shohei Ohtani heading into Game 7 of the World Series

By now, everyone's heard of the Ohtani Rule, right? Back in 2022, Major League Baseball installed a new rule that allowed a starting pitcher to remain in the game as the team's DH even if he was no longer on the mound. Seeing as how Ohtani was (and still is) the only player to have such a role, MLB's new stipulation was dubbed the "Ohtani rule."

But the rules are much different for relievers. If Ohtani comes into the game out of the bullpen, the Dodgers lose the designated hitter once he's taken out of the game. That will certainly come into play as Roberts looks to set the Dodgers lineup ahead of Game 7.

If the Dodgers turn to Ohtani in relief to close out Game 7, he'd better be able to finish. In the event he enters during the ninth inning as LA's closer and blows the lead, the Dodgers would have to move him to the outfield (or another position) in order to keep his bat in the lineup. This would also force the Dodgers to pinch hit for the pitcher's spot if/when it came around in the batting order.

That's a calculated risk, and one that Roberts might not be able to take. The safe bet would be turning to Ohtani as the team's opener, allowing him to go as deep as he can, and then turning to the next arm that can give them depth.

Will Roberts gamble and turn to Ohtani late, or play it safe and employ him as the Dodgers' Game 7 starter? Dodgers fans will find out in a few short hours.