When it comes to Shohei Ohtani’s health, the Dodgers have plenty of hope — but few precise expectations.
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Dodgers → come → hope
That, at least, was the way manager Dave Roberts framed his superstar’s status on the eve of the National League Division Series on Friday, saying he was hopeful Ohtani would play well after battling right arm and left knee injuries during the second half of the season, but also acknowledging that he was “not so sure” about exactly what the slugger would be able to provide.
“I know that once the lights turn on, the postseason starts, [his] focus will be heightened,” Roberts said.
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Roberts → frame → what
“I expect good things.
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I → expect → things
I really do.
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I → do → ?
We just haven’t seen it enough really for me to forecast it.”
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me → see → it
Indeed, as it has been for much of the last several months, Ohtani’s health remains a major question mark at the outset of the Dodgers’ pursuit of a third straight World Series.
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health → remain → Series
By all accounts, the 32-year-old made progress during the bye week the team had to begin the playoffs.
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team → make → playoffs
While addressing reporters on Friday for the first time since before going on the injured list in mid-September — when his injuries had become so bad he was showing visible signs of pain at the plate — Ohtani insisted his ailments had “gotten much better” and that the past few days had been “productive” for his previously slumping swing.
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days → address → swing
“I think my swing has gotten better,” he said in Japanese.
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he → think → Japanese
“If I can make solid adjustments today, I think I can go into tomorrow in sufficient condition.”
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I → make → condition
However, Roberts also reiterated that the four-time MVP is “not 100%” following an 11-for-70 slump in his final 18 games of the regular season (the last five of which came after he returned from the IL last week).
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he → reiterate → IL
Ohtani, meanwhile, described his injuries as something he will have to continue to manage during the playoffs, unsure if further treatment will be needed in the offseason.
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treatment → describe → offseason
During the Japanese portion of his news conference, he even revealed that, during his stint on the injured list, he avoided holding his young daughter with his aching right arm.
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he → reveal → arm
“I was able to hold my daughter using my left arm,” he said.
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he → hold → arm
Ohtani’s injuries have already robbed him of his two-way role this October, limiting him to hitting-only duties since early July.
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injuries → rob → July
Now, the team can only hope his offensive production isn’t diminished this postseason, either, hardly a guarantee given the way he looked for much of the last two months at the plate.
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he → hope → plate
“The physical part, I think, he’s kind of moving past that,” hitting coach Aaron Bates said.
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Bates → think → that
“Now it’s just gaining the timing of different speeds and when he wants to get his move off, that sort of thing.
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he → gain → thing
Kind of the usual stuff that hitters go through, as opposed to trying to cheat [to pitches] because the physical components are limiting them.”
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components → go → them
During the club’s bye week workouts, Ohtani took batting practice on the field multiple times — typically a rarity for him — and even sent a couple balls nearly to the outfield scoreboards, according to Bates.
uncertain
Ohtani → take → Bates
“It was as good as I’ve seen it this year,” Bates said, “as far as just the way the ball was coming off [the bat].”
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ball → see → bat
He also got live at-bats in the team’s intrasquad scrimmages, including a couple matchups against Yoshinobu Yamamoto on Wednesday.
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He → get → Wednesday
“Yoshi won the matchup,” Roberts joked, but Ohtani at the very least didn’t strike out.
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Ohtani → win → least
Whether that will be enough for Ohtani to truly turn the corner, however, remains to be seen.
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Ohtani → turn → corner
For the one intrasquad scrimmage reporters were allowed to observe on Thursday, Ohtani was nowhere to be seen (staying back in the clubhouse and indoor batting cages to get his work in instead).
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Ohtani → allow → work
Ohtani himself also failed to offer much of an expectation for how he might perform this October, saying only: “I think I can get closer to the results I want if I can adjust to the atmosphere of the postseason.”
uncertain
I → fail → postseason
For now, such hopes will have to suffice.
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hopes → have → ?
Only when Game 1 of the NLDS begins on Saturday afternoon will Ohtani and the Dodgers know exactly where he is at.
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he → begin → where
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