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Dodgers Expect Healthier Ohtani for Division Series Opener
A five-day break gives Shohei Ohtani time to recover and sharpen his swing before Los Angeles begins its postseason at Dodger Stadium.
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Rest offers a reset
The Dodgers are counting on an improved version of Shohei Ohtani when their National League Division Series opens Saturday at Dodger Stadium. Ohtani returned from a two-week injured-list stay to play the final five games of the regular season after dealing with right biceps and left knee problems. The five days before Game 1 give him additional time to recover while preparing to lead the lineup. General manager Brandon Gomes said Tuesday that Ohtani was feeling good physically and that his swings since returning had been encouraging. The club views the break as a chance to build on that progress with more hitting work.
Looking for an offensive rebound
Ohtani finished his return stretch 5 for 21 with an extra-base hit, eight strikeouts and a walk. Before landing on the injured list, he had batted.198 with 34 strikeouts across 24 games during an offensive slump. Despite injuries that limited his pitching and disrupted his production at the plate, Ohtani ended the regular season with a.275 average, an.889 OPS and a team-leading 30 home runs. Manager Dave Roberts believes Ohtani's improving health can translate into better postseason performance. Roberts said updates from the training staff have continued to be positive, and he expects Ohtani to feel better than he has in some time. The preparation plan includes live at-bats and work against the Trajekt machine as the Dodgers look to turn that physical progress into a more dangerous presence atop their order.
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