Dodgers Interview: Shohei’s Tuneups for October are Critical, Doc says
LOS ANGELES — When the Dodgers signed Shohei Ohtani, the dream was always the same: October baseball with the best two-way player in the world at the center of it. That dream is about to become reality, and manager Dave Roberts knows how critical these final days of the regular season are for making sure Ohtani is fully ready.
“These are important. They’re very important,” Roberts said before Tuesday’s game in Philadelphia, where Ohtani took the mound against the Phillies. “He’s got some rest under him. I know he feels good, and it’s going to be a good challenge for him. He seems to always rise to the occasion. It’s going to be another playoff environment tonight. So it’s going to be fun.”
A Clear Plan
The Dodgers’ plan was straightforward: five innings for Ohtani, then evaluate. The goal wasn’t to stretch him thin but to keep him sharp. Roberts emphasized that when October begins, the team won’t change much in how they manage Ohtani — other than being mindful of his workload.
“The adrenaline is going to really kick in,” Roberts said. “Whenever we decide to start him, he’ll be ready to make his start and then he’ll be in the lineup every night. I don’t think my thought is going to be to manage him in any particular way outside of pitch usage.”
That balance — treating Ohtani like any other starter while acknowledging the uniqueness of his two-way workload — has been the central challenge all season. Roberts credited Ohtani, the training staff, and the coaching staff for making it work.
From Spring Training to October
Back in February, the Dodgers weren’t sure what to expect. Ohtani was coming off his second Tommy John surgery. The goal was to build him up slowly and have him at peak sharpness in September. The reality has exceeded expectations.
“We couldn’t be more pleased with how it’s played out,” Roberts said. “Show’s the driver of this, but the training staff and coaches have done a great job. His teammates have done a great job of allowing for the different starts, the days in between. Looking at where we were at in spring training to be here now—I’m just overjoyed.”
Roberts admitted he’s surprised at how quickly Ohtani regained feel for the baseball. “Typically when guys have the second TJ, it takes a while to get that feel. Are you surprised at how quickly he’s found it? Yeah, I am,” Roberts said. “For us, we’ve been very fortunate.”
A Different Kind of Extraordinary
Last year, Ohtani’s season was historic in one way — the novelty of joining the Dodgers, the “50/50 club,” and the sheer spectacle of his two-way dominance. This year, Roberts said, has been extraordinary in a more grounded way.
“This year is certainly different because it’s something that he’s always dreamt about—as far as being a pitcher in the big leagues, hitting in the big leagues,” Roberts explained. “He’s going to get a chance to realize his dream to pitch in the postseason and do both. He’s just much more comfortable now around the guys, around everyone, versus last year when it was still kind of a feeling-out process.”
Even with fewer stolen bases, Ohtani’s season stacks up as even better in Roberts’ eyes. “He’s still close to 50 homers. I don’t think there has been a drop-off at all, to be quite frank.”
Facing a Playoff-Caliber Test
The Phillies provided the perfect late-season challenge. “Today’s a good test,” Roberts said. “It’s a very well-prepared offense. A lot of those guys are veteran hitters. They’re gathering information, potentially for a rematch. There’s a lot of left-hand hitters in the lineup. So it’s a good test, yes.”
The Dodgers have long envisioned Ohtani in this role — taking the ball in big games, swinging the bat in big moments, and carrying the franchise’s October hopes on both sides of the ball. These final tune-ups are just the last steps toward that long-awaited reality.
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