{"id":828848,"date":"2026-10-14T03:24:16","date_gmt":"2026-10-14T03:24:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/828848\/"},"modified":"2026-10-14T03:24:16","modified_gmt":"2026-10-14T03:24:16","slug":"dave-roberts-unpacks-the-rationale-for-ohtani-roster-move","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/828848\/","title":{"rendered":"Dave Roberts Unpacks the Rationale for Ohtani Roster Move"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

LOS ANGELES, CA \u2014 Shohei Ohtani<\/a> will be in the Dodgers\u2019 lineup for Game 3 on Wednesday. Dave Roberts<\/a> made that clear after speaking with him during Tuesday\u2019s workout day at Dodger Stadium. With the Dodgers down 2-0 to the Brewers, Ohtani told his manager he feels well enough to help and believes he is close to finding his swing. Roberts came away from the talk ready to give him that chance.<\/p>\n

\u201cI did talk to Sho, had a great conversation,\u201d Roberts said. \u201cHe\u2019s adamant. He feels good enough to be in there. He\u2019s close to finding something with his swing, and I feel great about it. He wants to be in there and help us win a ballgame and win a championship. Great conversation, and I\u2019m excited about having him in there.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

A Chance to Reset<\/p>\n

Roberts explained that the thought of giving Ohtani time off grew out of the way the Dodgers handled Freddie Freeman<\/a>\u2019s health during their 2024 title run.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn 2024, he was ailing, wasn\u2019t feeling great,\u201d Roberts said. \u201cGive him a couple days potentially to then reset. He ends up winning the MVP in the World Series. So it\u2019s more of, \u2018Hey, man, if you\u2019re not feeling good enough that you can feel like you can perform up to your ability, then we\u2019ll pivot. We\u2019ll give you a couple days.\u2019<\/p>\n

\u201cTalking to him, he feels like he\u2019s close to finding something and was close yesterday in finding something mechanically. With that, I\u2019m excited. I\u2019m all about it, and so he\u2019ll be in there.\u201d<\/p>\n

What stood out Tuesday was the strength of Ohtani\u2019s belief that he could help.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe word I would use is sincere,\u201d Roberts said. \u201cHe was very convicted that he is on to something mechanically. He was adamant that he can help us. He\u2019s well enough to help us win a baseball game. And so that\u2019s all I needed to hear.<\/p>\n

\u201cShoot, he squared to bunt in Game 2 to potentially get on base. That just speaks to whatever it takes to help the team win. He\u2019s always been about the team, whether it\u2019s hitting first, second, fourth, or wherever. For me, just hearing his conviction, that\u2019s what I wanted to hear.\u201d<\/p>\n

What Roberts Sees in the Swing<\/p>\n

Roberts also heard encouraging reports from the staff working with Ohtani.<\/p>\n

\u201cSome of my intel is from the hitting guys and them kind of echoing the same thing, that Shohei is right where he needs to be, has found something,\u201d he said. \u201cThe training staff echoing the same thing. And then, for me, listening to him, very confident in his saying, \u2018I want to be in there. I know I can help the team. I\u2019m close.\u2019 That\u2019s all I need to hear.\u201d<\/p>\n

In batting practice, Roberts saw signs that fit what Ohtani had told him.<\/p>\n

\u201cI just thought that in the batting practice, squaring it up more, staying more into the ground,\u201d Roberts said. \u201cAnd for me, it\u2019s just keeping his head still. Just keep your head still. See the baseball. That\u2019s one of the cues that he\u2019s working on with the hitting guys.<\/p>\n

\u201cLet your mechanics do what they\u2019re going to do, but just keep your head still and really just simplify hitting. And then be yourself. That\u2019s the message that I got and I feel really good about.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ohtani is still working through trouble with his knee and biceps. Roberts said he knew the areas involved but was unsure of the exact diagnoses. He confirmed that neither issue had been aggravated again since the postseason began.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s working through what is serviceable, manageable, with his mechanics given where he\u2019s at with his overall body,\u201d Roberts said.<\/p>\n

Sharing the Load<\/p>\n

Roberts believes Ohtani has taken his struggles as a personal challenge. He also made clear that the work of getting back into this series belongs to the whole team.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s what I think all great players have in the biggest moments,\u201d Roberts said. \u201cThey expect to perform more than anyone. And so I do think that Shohei has taken this as a personal challenge.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s got to be all of us, myself included, have got to be better. We all got to do this together. That was kind of my thing: You do you, and we all got to do our part as well.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Dodgers will put Ohtani in the lineup with the backing of his manager.<\/p>\n

\u201cAt the end of the day, in this big moment, we\u2019re listening to Shohei,\u201d Roberts said. \u201cAnd we\u2019re going to support the crap out of him and believe in him. And that\u2019s it.\u201d<\/p>\n

More Dodgers Coverage:<\/p>\n

Have you subscribed to the Bleed Los Podcast YouTube channel<\/a>? Be sure to ring the notification bell to watch player interviews, participate in shows & promotions, and stay up to date on all Dodgers news and rumors!<\/p>\n

\"Steve<\/p>\n

A lifelong baseball fan, Webb has been going to Dodger games since he moved to Los Angeles in 1987. His favorite memory was attending the insane Game 3 of the World Series in 2025 and hugging random Dodgers fans after Freddie\u2019s walkoff homer. He has been writing for Dodgersbeat since 2020.<\/p>\n

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