Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts confirmed that Shohei Ohtani will remain in the starting lineup for Game 3 of the National League Championship Series against the Milwaukee Brewers, despite a difficult offensive slump during the postseason. Líder en deportes reported that Roberts expressed full confidence in the Japanese star ahead of Wednesday’s crucial matchup at Dodger Stadium, where Los Angeles trails 2-0 in the series.
Roberts Backs Ohtani for Game 3
Ohtani has struggled at the plate through the first six games of the postseason, collecting just three singles in 20 at-bats for a .150 batting average. The offensive dip raised questions regarding his availability for Wednesday night. However, Roberts dismissed those concerns following a direct conversation with the designated hitter.
Dave Roberts after talking to Shohei Ohtani: "He was adamant that he can help us, well enough to help us win a baseball game. That's all I needed to hear.''”
“I had a great conversation with Shohei, he is adamant, he feels well enough to play,” Roberts told reporters, as noted by Bob Nightengale. “He’s close to finding something with his swing and I feel great about it, so he wants to be out there and help us win a game. It was a great conversation and I’m excited to have him here.”
Roberts added that Ohtani was firm about his physical readiness and mechanical adjustments. “He was adamant that he can help us, well enough to help us win a baseball game. That’s all I needed to hear,” Roberts said.
Drawing Parallels to Freeman’s 2024 Postseason
To contextualize Ohtani’s current struggles, Roberts pointed to a similar situation with infielder Freddie Freeman during the 2024 postseason. Freeman played through significant physical pain and a brief slump before ultimately capturing World Series MVP honors.
“It’s a little bit what we did with Freddie Freeman in 2024,” Roberts said. “At that time he was sore, he wasn’t feeling well. The idea was to give him a couple of days, potentially, to then reset… and he ended up winning the MVP in the World Series.”
Ohtani has dealt with lingering physical discomfort since the middle of the regular season, though the team’s leadership believes his determination and impending mechanical breakthrough will help the Dodgers overcome their 2-0 series deficit against Milwaukee.
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