MILWAUKEE –– Dave Roberts Struggles with Positivity
When Dodgers manager Dave Roberts was asked yet again about Shohei Ohtani’s performance in the playoffs, he found it hard to express any real optimism.
Ohtani had a rough 2-for-13 showing in the National League Division Series against the Braves. Roberts mentioned that Ohtani “did a good job of controlling the [strike] zone,” and noticed some “better swings” from the 32-year-old. At least he got on base in all four games, even with a few walks helping him along the way.
Still, Roberts didn’t seem convinced that the four-time MVP was on the brink of a breakout.
Like many, he recognized a version of Ohtani that hardly resembled what the Dodgers had seen over the past few years.
So, why does Roberts continue to believe that Ohtani will “come to life” at some point this postseason?
“There’s nothing right now I’m going to hang my hat on,” he admitted, “outside of, I just believe in the person and the talent… I’m just never going to count Shohei out.”
At the moment, that kind of blind faith is all the Dodgers have as Ohtani is expected to bat cleanup in Game 1 of the NL Championship Series against the Milwaukee Brewers on Sunday.
We know he’s dealing with injuries to his left knee and right arm, and it’s clear he hasn’t hit a home run since August 18. He’s in a 22-game slump, spanning both the regular season and playoffs, where he’s hitting only .157 with just one RBI.
Yet, there remains a flicker of hope, even if it feels a bit far-fetched.
“I still think if he’s in the batter’s box, he’s a threat,” Roberts said. “He swung the bat well against these guys last postseason. Those pitchers, their memories are long. Now it’s just up to Shohei to understand that and control the strike zone.”
Indeed, last year in the playoffs, Ohtani broke out of a slump, showcasing an explosive performance that earned him MVP honors in a pivotal game. However, expectations for him this time around are more measured.
Roberts is now focused on Ohtani simply finding ways to “just get on base [and] take good at-bats,” particularly against the likely Cy Young Award winner Jacob Misiorowski in Game 1 of their rematch.
“Shohei is known for his slug, but when you’re facing Jacob, you’ve got to take good at-bats. If you hit a homer, great. But if you can earn a walk, fantastic,” Roberts pointed out.
Ohtani, alongside his teammates, kicked off their preparation during a recent workout at American Family Field, where they aimed to adjust to Misiorowski’s fastball, clocked at MLB’s top speed of 105 mph. They practiced not only on a machine but also from a few steps in front of the plate to replicate that impressive velocity.
“That’s actually an Albert Pujols drill,” hitting coach Aaron Bates noted, mentioning how much they relied on Pujols’ expertise when he played with them in 2021. “It just gets the transition of your swing to happen quicker and trains your overall tempo.”
The emphasis for Ohtani in his rare batting practice was on not “flipping the barrel too soon,” Bates observed, suggesting that maybe Ohtani’s injuries have led him to exert more effort than usual to regain his usual power.
“I think it happens incrementally,” Bates added. “I don’t think that guys necessarily know when they’re swinging harder. It just builds up over time and can lead to too much effort.”
The hitting staff has advised Ohtani to focus on a controlled finish with his swing and to “reverse engineer” his mechanics for greater consistency.
“His work has been great in the cages, and even into the games too,” Bates emphasized, indicating it’s about helping him find the sensations he needs to tap into.
For now, that’s just the latest glimmer of cautious hope for the Dodgers. They might not know how or when things will improve for Ohtani, but they still hold onto their belief that the faith they’ve placed in him will eventually pay off.
