Chicago– cub Manager Craig Counsell thinks about a Major League Baseball rule that allows it los angeles dodgers Reasons for carrying 14 pots shohei ohtani Is “strange”.
Major league teams are allowed to have a maximum of 13 pitchers on their active 26-man roster from Opening Day through August 31. From September 1 until the end of the season, the roster limit increases to 14 pitchers and 28 active players.
But Ohtani is designated as a two-way player, meaning he is not counted as a pitcher. So, the defending World Series champions have 14 pitchers on their active roster.
Asked about 13-pitcher limit before Monday win 5-1 Above philadelphiaCounsel said he never understood the reason for the ban.
“If you ask me, I think it’s more of a rule to help a crime than anything else,” Counsell said. “And then there’s one team that’s basically allowed to carry one of the two, and is given special consideration. Which is probably the most bizarre rule. … For a team.”
The two-way player designation is for players with at least 20 innings pitched in the major leagues and at least 20 big league starts as a position player or designated hitter with at least three plate appearances in each of those games. The player must reach those numbers in the current or one of the two most recent seasons.
Los Angeles manager Dave Roberts, after his club win 12-3 Above colorado rockiesCounsell was asked about his comments by The Athletic.
“The thing is, it’s definitely going to benefit us because we have the player. … We want other teams to go out and find a player who can do both,” Roberts said. “He’s an exception because he’s an extraordinary player. That’s what it is.”
The designation took effect for the 2020 season. Ohtani, 31, is the only current player who meets the criteria.
“There’s no other player like it, but a team gets different rules for that player,” said Counsell, who played in the majors for 16 years.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
