Just days ago, when asked about deploying Shohei Ohtani from the bullpen during the NLDS, Dave Roberts delivered a definitive four-word reply: “Not on our radar.” But here we are getting that plan changed. The Boys in Blue won Game 1, and with that, the manager is playing smartly with his arms. Now, as per the planbook of Roberts—Ohtani, who was earlier ruled out of relief work, can be considered as a multi-role weapon for the long run in October.

The Dodgers’ starting rotation has been nothing short of dominant this postseason. Their starters have a mind-blowing 5–1 record with a 1.65 ERA, a 0.76 WHIP, opponents hitting just .141, and only two home runs allowed. These are the greatest numbers among any active postseason teams. On the contrary, the bullpen? Well, it’s been a little headache for the skipper.  The bullpen was a problem all season, and so far in the postseason, that hasn’t changed. The Dodger relievers have a 5.91 ERA, a 1.92 WHIP, 18 strikeouts and 18 walks in 21 1/3 innings, and their opponents are batting .280 off of them.

Bob Nightengale’s recent update comes into that tension. He posted on X,  “Tyler Glasnow will pitch Game 3. Shohei Ohtani will pitch Game 4. This allows Glasnow to start a potential Game 7 and use Ohtani out of the bullpen in Game 7.”

After his 2024 elbow surgery, Shohei Ohtani’s return to pitching in 2025 was handled with extreme caution. The Dodgers limited his innings, spacing out his starts and ruling out any bullpen use to prevent strain on his repaired arm. Every outing was planned, every pitch count monitored. Relief appearances were considered too unpredictable and risky. But as the postseason tightened and bullpen struggles resurfaced, Dave Roberts began to pivot—realizing that in October, Ohtani’s arm might need to serve more than one purpose.

Shohei Ohtani stepping into a starting role for Game 4 makes sense given the rotation’s overall effectiveness. His ability to consume innings takes pressure off a shaky relief unit. But the real chess move comes in Roberts’ willingness to deploy him in relief scenarios should the series extend to seven games—a complete reversal from his NLDS stance.

If the series goes to Game 7, that “never” from before becomes a tool. Roberts had once firmly said that the man could not operate in the bullpen, but he may now be his best ace out of the pen—a clutch weapon in a high-pressure situation.

Well, that change in strategy also comes from what happened in Game 1 of the NLCS. Roki Sasaki, who has been the first choice to close the games, struggled, and as a result, he was pulled out, and Blake Treinen saved the game.

While Roberts has solved his pitching puzzle, another Ohtani concern looms large.

Shohei Ohtani’s arm is locked down — his bat isn’t

Shohei Ohtani’s job on the mound seems set in stone. But at the plate, he’s become a big problem. His offense has been dormant for too long, and now it’s a big problem for L.A.’s bid.

Ohtani’s bat hasn’t made much noise in the postseason since 2025. He only got one hit in the NLDS, and he struck out nine times. In Game 1 of the NLCS, he couldn’t get going again—he had a blank at-bat when the Dodgers needed more offense. Los Angeles only scored 13 runs (3.25 per game) in the NLDS, and only two runs in each of the last two games. The rotation got them through, but the bats need to wake up in the NLCS.

Shohei Ohtani has had a hard time this postseason, especially against left-handed pitchers. Dave Roberts, the manager, saw that this was a bad match-up and pushed for a change. Roberts stated, “They’re gonna try to put as many lefties on Shohei,” Roberts said. “He was aggressive outside the zone, passive in the zone … the at-bat quality needs to get better. We’re counting on a recalibration … getting back into the strike zone and understanding what lefties will do.”

That drop in performance hasn’t just hampered Ohtani’s line; it’s also impacted the Dodgers’ offense as a whole. The team’s batting avg. was .172 during the NLDS because one of their best hitters is having trouble. Their starting pitching gets them to these games, but the question is for how long?