Sep 23, 2025; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts looks at pitcher/designated hitter Shohei Ohtani against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Dodgers' Dave Roberts Doesn't Hold Back on Shohei Ohtani's Struggles

Originally posted on Los Angeles Dodgers on SI
By Gabe Smallson | Last updated Oct 12, 2025 2:00 PM ET

The Los Angeles Dodgers beat the Philadelphia Phillies in the National League Division Series to advance to the next round of the postseason.

LA is now set to play the Milwaukee Brewers in the NLCS.

An unfortunate truth about the NLDS, and for about half of the Wild Card round, is that superstar Shohei Ohtani has not been himself. He is hitting just .148 this October and is coming off four NLDS games where he collected just one hit in 18 at-bats.

Manager Dave Roberts spoke about how this could have been attributed to the Phillies southpaw-heavy pitching roster, but also how it comes down to just needing more quality at-bats.

“I think a lot of it actually was driven by the left-handed pitching. And even with that, he wasn’t as bad during the regular season as he was in the postseason versus those guys,” Roberts said. “Certainly, whatever opponent we face (in the NLCS), they’re gonna try to put as many lefties on Shohei (as they can). But hoping that he can do a little self-reflecting on that series, and how aggressive he was outside of the strike zone, passive in the zone. Just the at-bat quality needs to get better.

“I think it started out with the unfavorable matchups. I thought in the Wild Card Series, he was fine. They weren’t gonna let him beat them. And I thought from the first pitch on in that Division Series, chasing in, off (the plate) kind of set the tone for that series.”

Ohtani had an exciting Wild Card series, but it wasn't necesarily a quality one.

Sure, Ohtani smashed two home runs in the first game, but his other three at-bats were all strikeouts. Ohtani would also collect just two hits total through the second game of the Wild Card to Game 4 of the NLDS.

Although Ohtani is likely going to be MVP for the third-straight season, winning the honor for the fourth time in his MLB career, it would feel wasted if it came at the heels of an abysmal postseason.

“Hopefully with the hitting guys, himself, learning from that past series, and getting better,” Roberts said. “Because we’re gonna need him to be better.”