Shohei Ohtani News: Marlins Manager Had No Interest in Intentionally Walking Dodgers’ Star

Miami Marlins manager Skip Schumaker has been in baseball for quite some time, and in the ultimate form of respect, chose not to pitch around Shohei Ohtani on Thursday night.

In the top of the seventh inning, Ohtani came to the plate needing just one more home run to become the first player ever to hit 50 home runs and steal 50 bases in a single season. With two runners on and first base open, while trailing the Dodgers 11-3, Schumaker was asked if he wanted to walk Ohtani, but he declined the option.

It was easy to read the skipper’s lips on the broadcast and Joe Davis relayed the message over the airwaves.

“F-ck that,” said Schumaker, who played for the Dodgers in 2013.

Tipping Pitches took to social media with the entire message from Schumaker (“F-ck that. I’ve got too much respect for this guy for that sh-t to happen”). One or two words might be off, but the meaning is clear

Schumaker was asked about that decision to not walk Ohtani by reporters after the game.

“That’s a bad move, baseball-wise, karma-wise, baseball-gods-wise. You go after him and see if you can get him out,” Schumaker said. “I think out of respect for the game, we were going to go after him.”

Home run No. 50 was a 391-foot, 109.7-mph blast off a Mike Baumann curveball.

Ohtani’s 51st homer, off position player Vidal Brujan, was a three-run shot that traveled a projected 440 feet into the upper deck. It was his first home run ever against a position player.

“He hit the home run,” Schumaker added. “That’s just part of the deal. He’s hit 50 of them, he’s the most talented player I’ve ever seen. He is doing things that I’ve never seen done before in the game and if he has a couple more of these peak years he might be the best ever to play the game.

“As a fan, I wish I was in the stands not in the dugout seeing it. I’m proud of the guys that were attacking him and not scared of him and that’s how you should go after it. He hit the home run, I know Baumann didn’t want the home run to be hit but he hit it.

“So, it was a good day for baseball, bad day for the Marlins.”

Photo Credit: Rhona Wise-Imagn Images

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