Dodgers Stick with Ohtani Despite Struggles in NLCS

Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts might not have envisioned a scenario where he would need to pull Shohei Ohtani from the lineup during the postseason. But after falling behind 2-0 in the NLCS against the Milwaukee Brewers—and with Ohtani not performing up to expectations—a difficult choice loomed ahead of Game 3 at Dodger Stadium.

Ultimately, Roberts has decided to stick with his talented Japanese player.

Roberts expressed confidence in Ohtani’s commitment, saying, “He’s adamant he feels good enough to be in there,” referring to the knee and arm issues Ohtani has been managing. He added, “He’s close to finding something with his swing. I feel great about it.”

Despite this reassurance, Ohtani’s postseason performance has been underwhelming, with a batting average plummeting to .150 after he went 0-for-4 with two strikeouts in Game 2. He hasn’t recorded an extra-base hit or an RBI throughout the playoffs, which—and forgive me for saying so—is not typical for a player of his caliber.

Roberts’ comments post-game on Monday sparked a bit of debate regarding Ohtani’s place in the lineup. After some discussion with the team’s president of baseball operations and the general manager, Roberts concluded Ohtani should be given another chance.

According to Roberts, Ohtani is “very convinced that he is onto something mechanically.” This determination, I suppose, is what ultimately swayed Roberts’ decision to keep him in the game, saying, “He was adamant that he can help us win.”

Ohtani, through his interpreter, took responsibility for his performance. He mentioned, “The symptoms shouldn’t be the reason why I can’t hit,” reflecting on his play this October. These injuries, although not new for him—he had even landed on the injured list earlier this season to recover—are evidently weighing on him. It’s been quite a stretch since he hit a home run, dating back to mid-August, which… well, that’s not the usual standard one would expect from him.

Roberts emphasized his unwavering confidence in Ohtani, clearly evident in his decision for Game 3. The real question now is whether this call will pay off in a critical game that could turn the series around for the back-to-back World Series champions. It’s hard to say, right?