Ohtani reaching base 9 times in WS Game 3 was a strategy ... by Blue Jays

Remember that epic, historic World Series Game 3 last October? Really, who could forget it: 18 innings, six hours and 39 minutes of marathon drama, capped -- at long, long last -- when Freddie Freeman hit a walk-off home run in Los Angeles to put the Dodgers ahead of the Blue Jays, two games to one.

Well, one of the many, many highlights of that contest was none other than Shohei Ohtani reaching base (count 'em) NINE times, tying an MLB record for any game -- regular season or postseason.

Turns out, there might have been some strategy to that from the Blue Jays' perspective.

Toronto manager John Schneider -- in discussing the 2025 Fall Classic alongside Dodgers skipper Dave Roberts on ESPN baseball insider Jeff Passan’s new “Sources Tell Jeff Passan” podcast -- admitted to wanting to tire out Ohtani before the two-way superstar was due to start Game 4 on the mound the very next day.

"I want to go to sleep as soon as possible so I can get ready," Ohtani said with a chuckle after Game 3.

After Ohtani proceeded to go double, home run, double and another homer through the first seven innings of Game 3, Schneider had seen enough damage. When Ohtani came up in the bottom of the ninth with the contest tied at 5-5, Schneider called for an intentional walk.

The very same scenario presented itself in the bottom of the 11th ... and the 13th ... and the 15th. Each time, Schneider decided to walk Ohtani intentionally. And still, the game continued, meaning the IBB parade didn't come back to bite the Blue Jays.

“I gotta ask," Roberts said on the podcast, "was that -- I know you don’t want to put anybody on base, especially with our lineup -- but was there any thought to, [Ohtani is] pitching the next day and just kind of tax him?”

Schneider's response? “Part of [the the idea behind intentionally walking Ohtani] was, ‘Yeah, man, I just don’t wanna see you swing right now, and maybe we can get you tired for tomorrow.'”

"It worked," Roberts said, noting that Ohtani indeed was "exhausted" and needed an IV after all the activity on the bases.

"First time I've said it publicly," Schneider acknowledged.

Ohtani recovered enough in time to start Game 4 on the bump -- not even 18 hours later. He allowed only two runs on a Vladimir Guerrero Jr. dinger through the first six innings. But Ohtani came back out to start the seventh and immediately surrendered back-to-back hits before Roberts called on the bullpen. Ultimately, it turned into a four-run frame for Toronto, putting Game 4 out of reach -- and knotting the World Series.

"My goal is to be able to pitch six innings and in this game, I wanted to go seven," Ohtani said after the contest. "It's regrettable that I wasn't able to finish that inning."

Thanks to Schneider's gamesmanship or strategy -- whatever you want to call it when a team helps an opposing player achieve a record performance -- now there's a better idea why Ohtani might have hit something of a wall.