Despite his ongoing struggles, Shohei Ohtani will be in the Game 3 starting lineup for the Los Angeles Dodgers on Wednesday in Game 3 of the National League Championship Series against the Milwaukee Brewers, manager Dave Roberts announced Tuesday.
"He's adamant he feels good enough to be in there. He's close to finding something with his swing. I feel great about it," Roberts said Tuesday. "He wants to be in there and help us win a ballgame and win a championship. Great conversation, and I'm excited about having him in there."
Ohtani, who is nursing knee and biceps injuries, is 3 for 20 this postseason and 11 for 70 (.157) with zero home runs in his last 24 games dating back to August 18. He spent 12 days on the injured list in September and has just one hit in eight NLCS plate appearances as the Dodgers have fallen behind 2-0 in the best-of-seven series.
"The results, I take full responsibility," Ohtani said through an interpreter Tuesday. "That's all I can really say, why the results haven't been where I wanted it to be. I think there's different approaches to this, whether that be focusing on reducing the symptoms and getting rid of the pain and/or just making sure that I'm moving well in the swing."
Following the Game 2 loss on Monday, Roberts said the Dodgers would have a "conversation" about Ohtani's place in the lineup. He is clearly not himself at the plate. His swings are off-balance and his contact quality is way down. Simply put, Ohtani looks like an injured player -- one who is not capable of helping his team score runs or win games at the moment.
"The symptoms have subdued a lot," Ohtani said. "Especially when I was on the IL, spending that time just being able to reduce the symptoms. As of now with the swing, it's a daily process of trying different things, different feel on a daily basis."
The Dodgers have a very good DH alternative in top prospect Josue De Paula. De Paula, 21, reached base 21 times in 11 regular-season games and has pinch-hit three times in key spots this postseason, and worked two walks. Los Angeles has nine singles and one double in the two NLCS losses to the Brewers. Their offense is lacking.
"We remember vividly at this time last year that he maybe had the best baseball game ever played the day he pitched against us and hit a home run every time up, it seemed like," Brewers manager Pat Murphy said Wednesday when asked about Ohtani's struggles at the plate. "You can't forget that, his capabilities."
Now 32, Ohtani hit .275/.377/.512 with 30 home runs during the regular season, which would be a career year for most players but is a down year for Ohtani. He threw 85 ⅔ innings with a 1.79 ERA before the injuries. Ohtani has not pitched since July 3 and won't return to the mound this postseason.
Teams with a 2-0 lead in a best-of-seven series have historically gone on to win the series 83% of the time. Game 3 is Wednesday night at Dodger Stadium.
