Through the postseason, Shohei Ohtani’s numbers tell a troubling story. He’s hitting just .174 with four hits in 23 at-bats, managing two home runs and five RBIs while failing to steal a single base. This is a big decline from his regular-season rhythm. Even though Los Angeles is currently up in the NLDS 2–1, his play has been far less exciting. The slump isn’t new; Ohtani’s bat hasn’t been able to consistently hit elite playoff pitching since he went 2-for-10 in the Wild Card stage. And in Game 3 against the Phillies, something similar happened. He went 0-for-5.

When asked about Shohei Ohtani’s current form, manager Dave Roberts gave a clear answer. Roberts stated in the post-match conference that, “I think the lefties are part of it. But I just think that his decision-making hasn’t been good. You can see it, balls in off, and he’s really not giving himself a chance to hit a mistake. He’s in between a little bit. The swing decisions just aren’t where they need to be right now. ”

On Wednesday night, he faced a mix of Phillies pitchers, striking out once in the sixth inning against Jose Alvarado’s fastball. He had three flyouts and one groundout in his other at-bats, which showed that he was unable to click and wasn’t timing his swings well. This is the opposite of the MVP-level productivity he had just a few weeks earlier.

Before the playoffs, Roberts praised Shohei Ohtani’s late-season surge, stating, “His September has been fantastic — at-bat quality, you can see it on the mound, he’s got a different look right now.” That version of the Japanese phenomenon was unstoppable. He finished the regular season with a .282 average, 55 home runs, 102 RBIs, 146 runs scored, and a 1.014 OPS.

However, that domination has cooled down since October. And now Dave Roberts is hoping his best player will get his swing back before the series is finished.

While the two-way sensation’s hitting has been a problem, his pitching? Well, that has been a positive, and Roberts is clear on when you use his $700m arm next.

Shohei Ohtani is becoming the pitching anchor this postseason

As the Dodgers get closer to the playoffs, it’s becoming more and more clear that Ohtani’s productivity is out of whack: his bat is struggling while his arm is still doing well. This imbalance is more important than ever.

Ohtani started on the mound in Game 1 of the NLDS and gave up three runs in six innings, striking out nine batters and walking one. He struck out four times at the plate. Not only in the postseason, but since his comeback, he has impressed with his outings.

In 2025, he appeared in 14 games as a pitcher, logging 47.0 innings, posting a 2.87 ERA, striking out 62 batters, and walking only 9.

His pitching has been a rare constant since then. He keeps giving the rotation high-leverage innings and reliable support, making him a stable presence in the middle of all the postseason mayhem. With his arm, Roberts has more flexibility and confidence, even when his offence is faltering.

Dave Roberts had a simple answer when asked if Shohei Ohtani might start again in Game 5: “If it goes the distance, he would be, yes.”

Shohei Ohtani’s ability to play both ways is what gives LA optimism as the pressure builds. He has been almost perfect on the mound, but the Dodgers want more from him at the plate. Can he get that spark back and “explode” again when it counts? Time and his swing will tell.