Shohei Ohtani still looks off
Heroes, zeros and the inside pitch from the Dodgers’ 3–2 loss to the Atlanta Braves in Game 2 of the National League Division Series:
Zero
asserted
Ohtani → look → Series
Shohei Ohtani’s first at-bat of this NLDS looked relatively normal, as he pulled a 105 mph line drive into right for a first-inning, Game 1 single.
asserted
he → look → single
Granted, Ohtani has not been the Dodgers’ biggest problem offensively.
asserted
Ohtani → grant → ?
Will Smith (0–for–8), Andy Pages (0–for–7, one walk) and Tommy Edman (0–for–5, one walk) are all vying for that honor.
asserted
Smith → vie → honor
But if there was any hope that the team’s playoff-opening bye week would fix the two-way amid his ongoing right arm and left knee injuries, these two games have been a reminder of just how far he is from his typical self.
“I haven’t heard anything other than he feels fine,” manager Dave Roberts said.
asserted
Roberts → be → anything
But…
“I don’t know if he’s trying to do too much because he doesn’t feel perfect,” the skipper added, in what felt more like a tacit acknowledgement.
asserted
what → know → acknowledgement
A healthy Ohtani, after all, wouldn’t go 0–for–2 against plucky feel-good story Ray Kerr, striking out on an inside fastball in the first inning before popping out in a key spot with two aboard in the third.
asserted
Ohtani → go → third
A healthy Ohtani wouldn’t need to slap the ball the other way Ichiro-style just to get a base hit, as he did on his lone single in the fifth.
asserted
he → need → fifth
The Braves haven’t been afraid to challenge him, throwing him nine fastballs in the middle-third of the strike zone so far.
asserted
Braves → challenge → zone
And he hasn’t been able to punish them for it, turning only one into a hit (that first-inning, Game 1 single) while also chasing more outside of the zone after failing to end his at-bats.
asserted
he → punish → bats
“He’ll be in there Game 3,” Roberts confirmed.
asserted
Roberts → confirm → ?
“We’ve just got to, again, take good at-bats and expect the best.”
asserted
We → get → best
At least the Dodgers’ other pre-NLDS injury question mark has seemingly turned a corner.
asserted
mark → turn → corner
In his final 66 games of the regular season (going back to July 5), Freddie Freeman had hit only one home run.
asserted
Freeman → go → run
In September, he slumped to a .184 average with only one extra-base hit while battling a right knee injury that threatened to linger into the playoffs.
asserted
that → slump → playoffs
However, the bye week seemingly did wonders for him, following up a one-hit, one-walk performance in Game 1 of the series with a two-hit night Sunday that included a solo homer to right field.
asserted
that → do → field
“I feel good, so I think we can be done with those questions,” he quipped when asked about his swing and knee injury.
asserted
he → feel → injury
There were times this year when Edwin Díaz’s fastball velocity dipped as low as 92 mph.
asserted
velocity → be → mph
During his scoreless appearance in the sixth inning on Sunday, the resurgent right-hander dialed it up to a season-high 100.8 mph.
asserted
hander → dial → mph
That was just one impressive aspect of Díaz’s latest standout performance, in which he extended his scoreless streak to six innings (including 15 straight batters retired over his last five outings) since returning from his second injured list stint of the year on Sept. 18.
asserted
he → extend → Sept.
“Edwin was great,” Roberts said.
asserted
Roberts → say → ?
“I think if you look at tonight, try to find some silver linings, that was a silver lining and certainly a positive.”
asserted
that → think → linings
Ironically, the club’s lack of power had been the bigger concern coming into the playoffs.
asserted
lack → come → playoffs
While they could be (extremely) up-and-down in the regular season in situational at-bats, they still rank seventh in batting average with runners in scoring position and third in OPS.
uncertain
they → rank → OPS
That, however, hasn’t translated to October yet.
“Got to find a way to score some runs without hitting a home run,” Freeman said.
asserted
Freeman → translate → run
“I think that’s our biggest thing right now.”
asserted
that → think → ?
Quote of the night
“We’ve been in tougher spots than this one,” outfielder Teoscar Hernández said, when asked how crucial the team’s past October experience (especially in back-and-forth series like the 2024 NLDS and 2025 World Series) would be in the face of what is now a best-of-three showdown.
asserted
what → say → three
“It’s a 1–1 series.
asserted
It → ’ → ?
We know they’re going to have the best pitcher that they have, starting pitcher, in [Game 3 with Chris] Sale.
asserted
they → know → Sale
But we’re just gonna try to be ready and just go with the best plan and just try to execute it.
asserted
we → go → it
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