The Los Angeles Dodgers are already focused on theNational League Championship Series against the Milwaukee Brewers and their manager Dave Roberts issues a clear warning, he cannot allow his superstar, Shohei Ohtani, to continue to fail at the plate. In the Division Series against the Philadelphia Phillies, Ohtani batted just 18-1, struck out nine times and posted a batting line of .056, totally out of character for him.
Roberts did not hold back: “We’re not going to win the World Series with this kind of performance,” he said according to Bill Plunkett. For the manager, Shohei Ohtani must adjust his handling of the strike zone, contain his aggressiveness outside of it and be more dominant when facing left-handed pitchers.
Shohei Ohtani’s stumble against Philadelphia: alarming statistics
During the Division Series, Shohei Ohtani managed just one hit in 18 at-bats, along with two walks and just one run batted in. His poor performance at the plate contrasts with his overflowing regular season, where he shone as a hitter and pitcher. The dominance of left-handed starters and relievers such as Jesus Luzardo, Ranger Suarez and Cristopher Sanchez generated a ladder of offensive crisis.
Dave Roberts pointed out that many of those problems were caused by matchups against left-handers: “A lot of it was due to left-handed pitching,” he said. “Still, he wasn’t as bad during the regular season as he was in the postseason against these pitchers.” The Championship Series offers him a new opportunity to calibrate his offensive approach.
Roberts’ plan: adjust batting and let Ohtani regain his leadership role
For Roberts, the emphasis will be on recalibration, for Shohei Ohtani to regain control of his strike zone and not lose confidence in the opposing defense: “He just has to improve his quality at bat… We all count on it,” the manager said of his superstar.
The message was clear: the Dodgers need the Japanese to be that offensive figure with power, discipline and consistency. If it doesn’t happen, the rest of the roster, which has shown ups and downs at critical moments, will not be able to sustain the team’s aspirations.
Starting on Monday, October 13, the battle begins in the National League Championship Series against Milwaukee, games that will be a test for the Dodgers’ offensive machinery and in particular for Shohei Ohtani. Roberts has already warned that the team cannot rely on the Japanese’s weak versions
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