Dave Roberts says Shohei Ohtani will start Game 3 of NLCS despite slump

Ohtani confirmed for Game 3 lineup

Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts told reporters on Tuesday that Shohei Ohtani will be in the starting lineup for Game 3 of the National League Championship Series against the Milwaukee Brewers. Roberts said Ohtani was “adamant that he can help us” and felt “well enough to help us win a baseball game,” so there was “no reason to bench him.”

Why Roberts kept him in

The decision comes with the Dodgers down 0‑2 in the best‑of‑seven series. Ohtani has struggled at the plate, going 0‑for‑4 with two strikeouts in the Game 2 loss, and his postseason batting average sits at .150. He is also nursing a left‑knee issue and a right‑arm (biceps) concern that limited his pitching earlier in the season. Despite those setbacks, Roberts said the Japanese star told him directly that his symptoms have “subdued a lot” and that he feels ready to swing.

“He’s adamant that he feels good enough to be in there,” Roberts told reporters via The New York Post.

Roberts added that the conversation also involved senior baseball executives Andrew Friedman and Brandon Gomes, who backed his choice to keep Ohtani in the lineup.

Ohtani’s recent numbers

Ohtani’s slump is stark when compared with his regular‑season production. Below is a quick side‑by‑side view of his hitting stats:

He hasn’t hit a home run since Aug 18, and he recorded only one RBI all season after Aug 18.

What’s at stake

Game 3 will be the first contest back at Dodger Stadium, and a win would halt the Brewers’ early lead. Roberts believes Ohtani’s presence, even if his bat is not firing, adds a psychological lift and forces the Brewers to respect his power threat. “I feel great about it,” Roberts said, noting Ohtani’s “conviction” that he’s close to finding “something with his swing.”

The Dodgers will line up Ohtani somewhere between the second and sixth spot, a flexibility Roberts said could be adjusted based on the pitcher he faces, left‑hander Robert Gasser.

Outlook

If Ohtani can translate even a fraction of his regular‑season power into Game 3, the Dodgers could swing momentum back in their favour. Roberts’ confidence signals that the club is not looking to make a drastic shake‑up, but rather to ride the talent they have as the series intensifies.