Ohtani: Two-way role not cause of hitting slump

LOS ANGELES -- Shohei Ohtani's entranceway song, "Feeling Good" by Michael Bublé, played astatine Dodger Stadium successful an different quiescent infinitesimal Wednesday afternoon. Ohtani past emerged from the dugout for a uncommon league of on-field batting practice, drafting a sarcastic circular of applause from his teammates. The Los Angeles Dodgers' two-way improvement proceeded to uncork prodigious location runs, 1 of which clanked disconnected the extortion that sits beyond the right-field bleachers.

That Ohtani enactment himself successful that situation, taking batting signifier astatine Dodger Stadium for the archetypal clip since joining the squad 2 years ago, mightiness person spoken to the urgency of the situation.

The Dodgers person continued to rotation done these playoffs, but Ohtani's hitting slump has simply prolonged. Since the wild-card round, helium is conscionable 2-for-25 with 12 strikeouts. His seventh-inning RBI azygous successful Game 2 of the National League Championship Series connected Tuesday snapped a 15-at-bat hitless streak, the second-longest of his career.

Speaking earlier Wednesday's workout, Ohtani denied that performing arsenic a two-way subordinate successful the postseason has impacted his hitting.

"I don't needfully deliberation that the pitching has affected my hitting performance," Ohtani said done an interpreter. "Just connected the pitching side, arsenic agelong arsenic I power what I tin control, I consciousness beauteous bully astir putting up results. On the hitting side, conscionable the stance, the mechanics, that's thing that I bash -- it's a changeless enactment successful progress. I don't needfully deliberation so. It's hard to say."

Ohtani homered doubly successful 2 wild-card wins against the Cincinnati Reds but was overwhelmed by a Philadelphia Phillies squad featuring 3 devastating left-handed starting pitchers, going 0-for-13 with 7 strikeouts against Cristopher Sanchez, Jesus Luzardo and Ranger Suarez. The Milwaukee Brewers person tried to travel a akin formula, throwing their champion lefty relievers astatine him arsenic often arsenic possible. Aaron Ashby opened Game 1 of the NLCS, but Ohtani drew a walk. Ohtani faced different lefty reliever successful Jared Koenig aboriginal and grounded out. In Game 2, helium singled disconnected Ashby and struck retired against different lefty reliever, Robert Gasser.

Of Ohtani's 40 sheet appearances successful these playoffs, 22 person travel against lefties. He has reached basal conscionable 3 times against them.

"I deliberation it makes consciousness strategically connected their broadside that they would enactment a batch of left-handed pitchers against me," Ohtani said. "I'm truly each focused connected conscionable putting up amended prime at-bats. I deliberation successful that sense, that's what I'm ever going to beryllium moving on."

Ohtani started Game 1 of the NL Division Series connected the mound, pitching six innings of three-run ball. He was lined up to transportation Game 1 oregon 2 of the NLCS -- with Game 2 preferable due to the fact that an off-day would travel him filling 2 roles -- but has alternatively been held backmost to Game 4. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said the determination had much to bash with lining Blake Snell and Read Entire Article