Dave Roberts won’t ‘hang my hat’ on Shohei Ohtani returning to form in NLCS, but still has blind faith

[Dave Roberts Upholds Unwavering Faith in Ohtani’s Potential NLCS Breakthrough Despite Injuries]

MILWAUKEE – Dave Roberts struggled to articulate his conviction.

When pressed repeatedly throughout the week about any positive indicators from slumping and injury-plagued slugger Shohei Ohtani in the early rounds of the playoffs, the Dodgers manager could not provide a definitive answer

During his 2-for-13 performance in the National League Division Series against Atlanta, Roberts acknowledged that Ohtani “handled the [strike] zone well” and observed that the 32-year-old produced some better swings, reaching base in each of the four games with assistance from a few walks.

Nevertheless, Roberts refrained from minimizing Ohtani’s current circumstances.

He, like others, perceived a version of Ohtani nearly unrecognizable compared to the Dodgers’ recent identity over the past three years.

So, why does the skipper persist in insisting that Ohtani will “come to life” at some point in this postseason?

“There isn’t anything right now I’ll hang my hat on,” he admitted, “outside of simply believing in the person and the talent… I’m never going to rule him out.”

For now, that unwavering faith represents the extent of the Dodgers’ commitment toward Ohtani, who was slated to bat cleanup in Game 1 of the NL Championship Series against the Milwaukee Brewers on Sunday.

The team remains fully aware that the two-way star is limited by left knee and right arm issues, and they acknowledge he had gone 0-for-15 with one hit since mid-August—a period marked by a 22-game slump encompassing both the regular season and playoffs in which he managed a .157 batting average and just one RBIs.

Yet hope persists in what feels increasingly like an improbable turnaround.

“I still believe if Ohtani is in the batter’s box, he remains a threat,” Roberts remarked. “He made strong swings against these opponents last season’s postseason. Those pitchers have long memories; ultimately, it’s just up to Shohei to understand and control the strike zone. Even if he appears to swing differently in recent weeks, I doubt he’d relent despite potentially compromising his usual technique.”

Factually, it was at this exact stage following last year’s playoffs that Ohtani emerged from a prior routine slump. After grabbing a 1-for-18 with nine strikeouts in the NLDS, and then just 2-for-11 across the first three Games in the NLCS against the Brewers, he delivered a historic three-homer, ten-strikeout performance in the team’s pennant-clining Game 4 triumph, earning series MVP honors.

This season, the Dodgers’ expectations carry more temperance.

Roberts merely hoped Ohtani—who had not addressed reporters since before last week’s divided series—would discover ways to “simply get on base and deliver quality at-bats,” particularly against Jacob Misiorowski, the presumed cy Young contender, in Game 1 of this year’s rematch.

“Ohtani excels at slugging, but confronting Jacob demands focused discipline. You have to secure solid at-bats,” Roberts added. “If you connect with a homer, excellent. But earning a walk is equally valuable.”

For Ohtani and the remaining Dodgers roster, that preparation began Saturday night at American Family Field, where they calibrated themselves against Misiorowski’s career‑best 105 mph fastball by stepping far in front of the plate—mimicking the velocity required—to absorb and simulate the intense tempo of the pitcher’s heat.

“It’s essentially an Albert Pujols drill,” hitting coach Aaron Bates explained. “When Albert trained with us in 2021, he performed that daily until he made a breakthrough. That transition accelerates the swing motion and improves overall timing. Given how aggressively Misiorowski throws, this drill proves highly effective.”

Shohei Ohtani is taking BP on the field today

And, like other Dodgers hitters, has been (ostensibly) prepping for Jacob Misiorowski’s 105 mph heater by taking some swings from well in front of the plate pic.twitter.com/lfEqPPd6Fq

— Jack Harris (@ByJackHarris) October 11, 2026

In terms of specific training, Ohtani’s limited fielding focus remained centered on avoiding premature barrel rotation.

Bates noted, “I suspect he’s been pushing his bat speed too much due to injury concerns, risking fatigue.”

“You often don’t realize how hard you’re working until it becomes overwhelming in short bursts,” Bates further stated. “Small adjustments compound quickly. Any drills designed to maintain balanced effort will serve Ohtani well.”

The hitting staff’s guiding mantra for Ohtani: prioritize completing swings with controlled finishes and reverse‑engineer reliable mechanics from those results.

“His performance in cage work translated smoothly into early innings,” Bates confirmed. “Ultimately, it came down to finding the swing feel he desires.”

At this juncture, that reinforces the ongoing rationale behind the Dodgers’ grip on hope.

They simply lack precise insight into how, or why, or when a change may occur. Yet somewhere along the line, their expectation remains that this blind trust in Ohtani will eventually prove correct.

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