Shohei Ohtani remains confident despite physical struggles, insisting his injuries aren't the cause of his postseason slump. His performance is critical for the Dodgers as they face a deficit, and his ability to push through these issues will define his impact on the series.
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Shohei Ohtani, Dave Roberts project confidence ahead of NLCS Game 3, even as injuries continue to stymie Dodgers superstar
'The symptoms shouldn't be the reason why I can't hit,' Ohtani, who hasn't hit, almost certainly because of the symptoms, insisted LOS ANGELES — A rising gust of whispers funneled through the subterranean hallways beneath Dodger Stadium. Each media member, once made aware of the unexpected, passed the news on to the next person they saw. The hum grew into a chatter as reporters filed back into the cramped news conference room. When Ohtani actually entered the room, followed by members of Dodgers PR and his interpreter, Will Ireton, the din turned to silence in an instant, like the shutting off of a transistor radio. Rarely does the Dodgers superstar speak to the media. During the regular season, the established routine was for Ohtani to answer eight or so questions after games in which he pitched. After his two-way exploits were halted in early July, he was made available only a handful of times. The four-time MVP, following an injury-marred second half, is currently a husk of his best self. In six games this postseason, Ohtani is a disastrous 3-for-20 with zero extra-base hits and seven strikeouts. Through it all, the sport's most famous character has looked discombobulated, wounded, compromised, out of sync. His disappearing act is a massive reason the two-time defending World Series champs find themselves down 0-2 to the Milwaukee Brewers in the NLCS.
By Jake MintzOctober 14, 2026Yahoo Sports
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