Craig Counsell is not a fan of the ‘Shohei Ohtani’ rule, and he did not hesitate to express it again, this time at Dodger Stadium.

The Chicago Cubs one-upped the defending World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers to continue their 10-game winning streak. The atmosphere got heated on Friday following Counsell’s comments on the ‘Shohei Ohtani’ rule earlier this week.

The Dodgers get to sidestep the major leagues’ 13-pitcher roster limit and keep 14 pitchers, including Ohtani, as two-way players like the Japanese phenom do not count toward the limit. Counsell doubled down on the MLB when asked whether the rule gives an unfair advantage.

“This is not a Dodger thing. It’s not an Ohtani thing. It is a bad rule,” he said after the 6-4 win. Foul Territory posted Counsell’s response to Fredo Cervantes of the Sporting Tribune on X.

The MLB allows major league teams to carry 13 pitchers on their 26-man roster from Opening Day to August 31. Two-way players, however, do not count toward it. But to earn the two-way player designation, there are specific criteria to meet in the current season or the preceding one.

The player must pitch at least 20 innings in the majors and make at least 20 starts as a position player or a designated hitter with three plate appearances in each. Ohtani and the Dodgers are the only beneficiaries of the MLB’s two-way player rule currently.

Ohtani’s two-way dominance was on full display in the 2025 World Series, where he was a force both on the mound and at the plate. In Game 7, while he gave up 3 runs over 2.1 innings, his 33.7% postseason strikeout rate shows the threat he poses. As a hitter, he was just as impactful, reaching base twice and posting a staggering 1.096 OPS, proving why the rule exists.

Counsell’s frustration stems from the fact that no other player with the two-way designation is excelling at Ohtani’s level. However, Counsell’s team did not have to contend with Ohtani’s two-way skills.

During the 4-0 lead that the Dodgers held onto until the sixth inning, Ohtani issued 1 walk in his 3 at-bats on Friday. The Cubs broke through once the Dodgers pulled Emmett Sheehan after 6.1 innings with 10 strikeouts and just a single run. Moises Ballesteros and Pete Crow-Armstrong scored on Dansby Swanson’s triple off reliever Alex Vesia.

Nico Hoerner further chipped away at the Dodgers’ lead with an RBI single, and Alex Bregman tied the game with a 408-foot solo shot in the eighth. Finally, Tanner Scott took the loss for the Dodgers as Swanson sealed the Cubs’ win with a two-run homer in the ninth.

Despite the loss, Dave Roberts did not hesitate to respond to Councell’s “bad rule” remark.

Dave Roberts clarifies the two-way player rule

“I don’t think he meant it maliciously,” Roberts reportedly said. “This is a rule that’s applicable to Shohei, it’s not a Dodger rule. MLB implemented this rule when he was with the Angels. Not surprising because he’s a very important player, so it gets a lot of attention.”

Yes, the MLB rulebook added the two-way player rule in 2020, when Ohtani was still with the Angels. He logged a 2.84 ERA and struck out 542 batters across 74 starts between 2021 and 2023.

Ohtani signed the blockbuster $700 million contract with the Dodgers in December 2023 and became a World Series champion in 2024. Ohtani maintains a 3.70 K/BB ratio in his MLB career as a pitcher. The Marlins will face him in their upcoming series.