Shohei Ohtani will stay in Dodgers’ lineup. He’s convinced he’s close to finding MVP form.

Shohei Ohtani will stay in Dodgers' lineup. He's convinced he's close to finding MVP form.

Key points

• LOS ANGELES – Shohei Ohtani spoke passionately Tuesday with Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts.
• Oh yeah, that Game 4 of the 2025 NLCS, in the pennant-clinching game – one that will live in Dodgers' fame.
• So Ohtani will be back in the Dodgers' lineup Wednesday for Game 3 (8 p.m.
• Roberts confirmed his decision to keep Ohtani in the lineup while the Brewers were leaving Dodger Stadium, but the truth is the Brewers anticipated this.
• Bob Nightengale breaks down what could be going on with the lack of Shohei Ohtani in this MLB postseason.

Shohei Ohtani will stay in Dodgers' lineup. He's convinced he's close to finding MVP form. Bob Nightengale USA TODAY. Shohei Ohtani remains absent from MLB postseason.

LOS ANGELES – Shohei Ohtani spoke passionately Tuesday with Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts. He acknowledged that he's playing with pain.

He flat-out insisted, though, that he can not only play, but that he's close to being the most feared hitter in the game again.

So Ohtani will be back in the Dodgers' lineup Wednesday for Game 3 (8 p.m. ET FOX) of the National League Championship Series, trying to not only save the Dodgers' season, but preserve their dynasty.

"He wants to be in there and help us win a ballgame, '' Roberts said, "and win a championship. He was particularly convicted that he is on to something mechanically. He was adamant that he can support us. He's well enough to support us win a baseball game. So that's all I needed to hear.''.

For context, the facts say that Ohtani is compromised, playing with a sore left knee and inflamed right biceps. It is reflected by his ugly slump: No homers since Aug. 18. Batting.157 with one RBI since Aug. 19. Hitting.150 with no extra-base hits and seven strikeouts this postseason.

Roberts informed Ohtani that he'd be glad to provide him the next game or two off, even with the Dodgers' season on the brink, but Ohtani didn't want to hear a thing regarding it.

It would be different if this were the regular season, but not now, not with this urgency.

Meanwhile, the Dodgers are down 2 games to zero to the Milwaukee Brewers, and if Ohtani took time off, the next time he might be playing again would be spring training – whenever that is with a looming lockout.

Ohtani wants to be the man, just like he's been ever since his arrival in this country. Just like he's been since signing a $700 million contract with the Dodgers three years ago.

"That's what I think all great players have in the biggest moments, '' Roberts remarked. "They expect to perform more than anyone. I do think that Shohei has taken this as a personal challenge.

"But at the end of the day, it's not a one-man show. It's obtained to be all of us, myself included, have secured to be better. So we've all obtained to do this together, and he's a part of this whole cog. That was kind of my thing is, 'You do you, and we all obtained to do our part as well.'".

Ohtani, speaking for the first time since the start of the postseason, echoed Roberts' sentiments and thoughts on their conversation. He's convinced he's close. He believes that everyone will shortly see the great Ohtani of old, the one that won four MVP awards and will probable finish second this season.

"Over the course of this long season, there's only really a short period of time when my mechanics are completely in sync, '' Ohtani remarked through his interpreter. "So it's just really kind of just going back and forth, finding the right parts of the swing and managing just the different parts of the swing. It's a constant, ongoing process that's headed in the right direction.''.

When asked how much he's being impacted by the injuries, he refused to employ it as an excuse for his struggles, yet.

"The results, (I) take full responsibility, '' Ohtani remarked. "That's all I can really say, why the results haven't been where I wanted it to be. The symptoms shouldn't be the reason why I can't hit, and even if the injuries happen by accident, I take full responsibility. I take that as an opportunity for me to just take full responsibility for it.''.

Besides, he notes, the best cure for pain will be cold champagne being sprayed all over him if the Dodgers win their third consecutive World Series.

"The No. 1 priority is for the team to win, '' Ohtani remarked. "Whether that be for me to contribute on the offensive side, I do want to feel confident in the approach that I'm taking on that day, whether that be mechanical or anything else. So, that's really just been my focus overall.''.

After Ohtani batted cleanup the past two games, roberts wouldn't divulge where Ohtani will hit in the lineup, only saying it will be in the top six spots. Yet, wherever he bats, Roberts believes everyone is regarding to see a different Ohtani. The Dodgers certainly need him. Now. More than ever.

There's just complete conviction that he's on to something, and he feels like he can support us, '' Roberts stated. He's saying, 'I want to be in there. I know I can support the team. I'm close.'.

For me that's all I need to hear. I know we're better with him in the lineup. Everyone knows that, that's no secret.''.

Roberts confirmed his decision to keep Ohtani in the lineup while the Brewers were leaving Dodger Stadium, but the truth is the Brewers anticipated this. They always believed he was playing, with Brewers center fielder Garrett Mitchell saying he'd have been shocked'' if Ohtani was benched.

"He's the greatest player in the game, arguably going down as the best player ever, '' Mitchell remarked. "This game is particularly hard. One day you can be on top of the world, and on the next you are hitting the lowest of lows.

I know that whether he's feeling good or he's not feeling good, he's always going to be someone that you have to game plan for. You never know. It takes one swing to come back. I think there's proof of that even last year. Probably didn't have the greatest series to start, but that Game 4, it just takes one day.''.

In one of the greatest two-way performances in history, Ohtani hit three home runs and pitched six shutout innings, striking out 10. The Dodgers certainly remember. So do the Brewers.

"We remember vividly at this time last year, '' Brewers manager Pat Murphy said, "that he maybe had the best baseball game ever played the day he pitched against us and hit a home run every time up. You can't forget that, his capabilities.

But still, all that being remarked, do you know how tough it is to execute what he did? You still have to go at him. You have to go at everybody.''.

Meanwhile, the Dodgers, of course, never imagined that they'd be in this predicament, with not only Ohtani floundering at the plate, but most of the team. They are hitting just.193 with a.263 on-base percentage this postseason, scoring just 19 runs in six games, with two runs scored on errors and two runs on sacrifice flies.

Their powerful lineup has one extra-base hit this series, and they continue to flail away with runners in scoring position, going 2-for-26 with center fielder Andy Pages responsible for the two hits.

"The offense has to find a way to get some more timely hits, " Dodgers shortstop Mookie Betts remarked. "We do have to keep applying pressure, but we've got to find a way to break through."

Maybe, just maybe, it will take Ohtani to show them the way.

He knows we're all still behind him, '' Dodgers third baseman Max Muncy remarked. He's going to obtain a sizeable hit for us. I know that. I can tell you right now he's going to obtain a sizeable hit for us at some point, and that's going to turn things. Ohtani knows that time is of the essence. He and his teammates have a dynasty to save. Follow Nightengale on X: @Bnightengale. SMS Facebook Twitter Email. Share your feedback to support improve our site! Share your feedback to support improve our site!

For now, shohei Ohtani will stay in Dodgers lineup. Hes convinced hes close to remains the part of the story worth watching, and further updates are likely as more details are confirmed.