Dodgers Manager Makes Bold Shohei Ohtani Declaration Ahead of NLDS

The skipper made a bold statement about the four-time MVP.

Aug 11, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers designated hitter Shohei Ohtani (17) talks with manager Dave Roberts (30) on the dugout steps during the seventh inning against the Kansas City Royals at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

As the Los Angeles Dodgers continue to prepare for the National League Division Series, there are still quite a few questions that need to be answered before they embark on their journey to a third-consecutive championship.

Perhaps the largest of them all is superstar Shohei Ohtani, who's just five games removed from the first injured list stint of his tenure in a Dodgers uniform. After knee complications that barred him from pitching past July, a nagging biceps injury eventually led to his first IL trip as a Dodger earlier this month.

In fact, even before going on the IL in early-September, Ohtani wasn't looking like himself. Since the All-Star break, the four-time MVP was hitting just .245/.325/.447 with an OPS of .772. He added just eight home runs and 23 RBIs in that 47-game span.

Despite the sputtering production from the superstar, manager Dave Roberts' faith remained steadfast.

"I feel confident that you're going to see the best version of Shohei of the last two months," Roberts said to reporters. "I know that's sort of a low bar given his injury, but I do think that he's as healthy as he's been in quite some time. And every day from the training staff, it keeps getting better. So yeah, No. 1, he'll be a threat being in the lineup, but I do think that the performance piece will be what we're hoping for."

Ohtani has been the best player in MLB for the better part of the last five years, and even if 2026 doesn't end with his fifth MVP honor in six seasons, a healthy Ohtani is a force to be reckoned with.

"I think for me, it's just the health," Roberts said. "I think that he did everything he could to manage it, all the while being somewhat compromised. And I think that he's going to be as healthy and feel as good as he's felt."

During the first half of the season, Ohtani had a slash line of .293/.403/.549 and an OPS of .953. He had 22 home runs and 58 RBIs to go along with his OPS+ of 114 (with the league average being 100).

The depth of the Dodgers' postseason run may not live or die based on Ohtani's performance, but it is safe to assume that if Ohtani can play his best baseball in October, the Dodgers should be in for a longer run than most.

Add us as a preferred source on Google