The debate over Shohei Ohtani’s postseason participation highlights the tension between star power and tactical logic. Relying on a hobbled superstar in high-stakes games can be a risky gamble for any manager.
PERFORMANCEMLB
Dodgers should have taken Shohei Ohtani off the postseason roster
Shohei Ohtani needs to sit a lot more often this postseason. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) The Dodgers never waver in their game plan for the regular season: win enough games to secure a bye in the opening round of the playoffs and, in so doing, afford players all the down time they need during the summer to be in top form come fall. They do not need to hurry anyone off the injured list so they can squeak out another National League West title. Unfortunately for the Dodgers and their increasingly perilous hope of a three-peat, they did not follow that game plan with Shohei Ohtani. The Dodgers failed Ohtani this summer, and now all that remains is for them to cross their collective fingers and hope for the best. They won't. They won't even take him out of Wednesday's lineup. Amid headlines about how the Dodgers might have benched Ohtani for Game 3 of the NL Championship Series, manager Dave Roberts said the thinking was more about coupling Tuesday's day off with a second consecutive day of rest. Roberts drew a parallel between what might have happened with Ohtani and what did happen with Freddie Freeman during the NLCS two years ago, when the Dodgers provided what the manager called a "reset" — a day off for the team, followed by a rest day for Freeman. "And he ends up winning the MVP in the World Series," Roberts said.
October 14, 2026Yahoo Sports
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