Shohei Ohtani's NLCS Pitching Start Delayed, Focus Shifts to Offensive Recalibration

Dodgers manager Dave Roberts announced a revised NLCS pitching plan, pushing Shohei Ohtani's next start to later in the series, with Yoshinobu Yamamoto taking Game 2 instead of Ohtani. This decision allows Yamamoto to maintain his five-day rest schedule for a potential Game 6, a rhythm Ohtani, who typically gets at least six days off, is less accustomed to. While this means Ohtani will likely make only one pitching start in the NLCS, the Dodgers are open to him pitching out of the bullpen in a potential Game 7. Roberts stated Ohtani's recent offensive struggles, where he went one for 18 with nine strikeouts in the NLDS, had "no bearing" on the rotation shuffle. However, delaying his pitching allows Ohtani to focus solely on hitting for the initial games, aiming to "recalibrate" his swing. Roberts expects "a different output from Shohei on the offensive side this series."