Shohei Ohtani played a key part in the Los Angeles Dodgers finishing with the best record in baseball and now is looking to help lead the team back to the World Series.
Ohtani’s first postseason experience has included a continued solid level of production, but also an uncharacteristic jump in strikeouts have occurred amid peculiar struggles with the bases empty.
“Rather than my strike zone management, I’m more concerned when I swing at pitches,” Ohtani said through interpreter Will Ireton when asked about chasing out of the zone.
“Whether that’s a foul or a pop fly. That’s something that I’m more focused on rather than the actual strike zone management.”
Against the San Diego Padres, a shift in the way opposing pitchers attacked Ohtani was evident. They began to pepper the outer part of the strike zone, rather than try to jam him inside.
Ohtani’s strikeout rate in the regular season was a career-low 22.2%, but in eight postseason games, it has climbed to a 35.1% across 37 plate appearances.
“I do feel OK at the plate,” Ohtani added. “I do feel like I should recall back to the times when I feel good and perhaps incorporate that into it.”
After Game 2 of the NLCS, Ohtani’s approach with nobody on base is a clear contrast to his usual, patient, but explosive nature. It caught a few with the Dodgers off guard in how it’s spanned through a number of games.
“I was surprised that he expanded versus (Yu) Darvish,” said Dodgers manager Dave Roberts. “(Tanner) Scott, it’s nitrous coming at you with the slider. That’s just a tough at-bat for any left-hander. Manaea, I just can’t imagine the ball coming from first base at you and then trying to hit him.
“So I just don’t see that. I just think that that’s kind of an outlier. But outside of that, for me, honestly the Darvish at-bats was a little bit for me. But, again, that’s something you’re facing your childhood idol. I don’t know how much that comes into play. I have no idea.”
What can Dodgers do to maximize Shohei Ohtani?
There’s been some talk about moving Ohtani down in the lineup because of his torrid stretch of production with runners in scoring position. However, that idea hasn’t had much weight behind it at this point in the year and the Dodgers believe this stretch could just be a blip.
The lower part of the batting order, mainly the eighth and ninth slots, could do a much better job of getting on base to manufacture those opportunities for Ohtani.
That came about in Game 3 of the National League Championship Series, and Ohtani broke it open with a three-run homer late.
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