Shohei Ohtani’s Position in the LA Dodgers’ Line-up Remains Unchanged Despite Playoff Performance

Game 3 of the NLCS: Ohtani’s Batting Order Unaltered

Despite an impressive performance hitting with men on base during the current playoff season, Los Angeles Dodgers’ star player Shohei Ohtani is set to retain his position in the batting line-up. The Dodgers’ manager, Dave Roberts, confirmed this ahead of Game 3 of the National League Championship Series (NLCS) against the New York Mets. Interestingly, Ohtani has failed to hit in 19 attempts with the bases empty but has succeeded in 6 out of 8 attempts with men on base while batting leadoff in the playoffs.

Manager Dave Roberts Comments on Ohtani’s Performance

“It’s quite intriguing how narratives shift,” remarked Roberts. “Previously, there were concerns about Ohtani’s difficulty in scoring hits with runners in position. Now, everyone is strategizing on how to get players on base to give him a chance to hit. I find this mildly amusing,” he added.

Understanding Ohtani’s Batting Splits

Neither Roberts nor Ohtani believes there’s much significance in the batter’s split stats. They attribute it to his possibly chasing pitches sporadically, particularly against proficient left-handed pitchers like Sean Manaea of the Mets and Tanner Scott of the Padres. Roberts also noted that his leadoff man had some poor swings against San Diego right-hander Yu Darvish in the NL Division Series.

Ohtani’s Approach and Reaction

Ohtani, responding through a team interpreter, stated his intention to stick to his current approach as much as possible, without focusing too much on how pitchers attack him. He emphasized the role of luck in the game, stating, “Even if I perform well and don’t achieve the desired results, I won’t worry too much.”

Ohtani’s chase rate has increased only marginally from the regular season (26.6%) to the postseason (27.1%). He was successful in 2 out of 4 attempts in the Dodgers’ 9-0 Game 1 victory but unsuccessful in 3 attempts in the 7-3 Game 2 defeat.

Ohtani’s Regular and Postseason Stats Comparison

Throughout the regular season, Ohtani had a batting average of .308 with men on base and .311 with the bases empty. During his first-ever postseason appearance, he has so far achieved an average of .222, with five walks in 27 at-bats.

Ohtani’s Feelings About His Performance

Ohtani expressed satisfaction with his performance at the plate, although he acknowledged the need for a “reset” occasionally. “If I’m not producing satisfactory results and my form doesn’t feel right, then I’ll need to examine my physical and mechanical conditions to ensure everything is in order,” he said.

Roberts’ Confidence in Ohtani’s Upcoming Performance

Roberts expressed confidence that Ohtani would regain his form in time for Game 3 at Citi Field. He dismissed the idea of changing Ohtani’s batting order, assuring that he would not move Ohtani to the 3rd or 4th place.

In the ongoing season, Ohtani batted leadoff in 90 games and second in 69 games, the only two positions he has occupied this year. Roberts also expects first baseman Freddie Freeman to participate in Wednesday’s game, despite nursing an ankle injury. “I don’t foresee any scenario where he doesn’t start a playoff game in the NLCS. However, if he can’t, that would be quite revealing,” Roberts said.