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By Gabe Smallson
Contributing Sports Writer
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As the Los Angeles Dodgers prepare to battle the Milwaukee Brewers in the NLCS, many expected the defending champions to unleash three-time MVP Shohei Ohtani to start on the mound for either of the first two games.
With two-time Cy Young award winner Blake Snell starting Game 1 on Monday night, and All-Star right-hander Yoshinobu Yamamoto slated for Game 2, there is currently no concrete schedule in place for Shohei Ohtani to start.
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Despite Ohtani's abysmal 1-for-18 slump in the NLDS, manager Dave Roberts said there was no correlation between his struggles at the plate and the decision for him to not start Games 1 or 2 of the NLCS.
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"No, not at all," Roberts said. "I think it was just kind of Shohei's going to pitch one game this series. So it's one game and then you have two other guys that potentially can pitch on regular rest. So how do you get sort of your best pitchers the most innings in a potential seven-game series?
"So I expect a different output from Shohei on the offensive side this series. But, yeah, pushing him back was no bearing on the offensive performance."
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Roberts knows that there is more to be desired from the National League's MVP frontrunner, and with a trip to the World Series on the line, there is no better time to wake up from his slump than the present.
As for Ohtani the pitcher, he had a solid outing to kick off the NLDS, striking out nine and overcoming a three-run second inning. He would go six innings and be credited with the win — but in the batter's box, he struck out four times that evening.
Ohtani is hitting .148 this postseason, and after his nightmare NLDS performance on offense, he has his work cut out for him. The work in question won't include starting pitching duties for the first two games, but his bat needs to come to life if the Dodgers want to advance to the Fall Classic.
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