LOS ANGELES – Dodgers manager Dave Roberts acknowledged Friday that Shohei Ohtani’s historic two-way workload may be cutting into his offensive production, as the superstar slugger endures an uncharacteristic slump that has raised questions about the toll of pitching on his batting performance.

 

Speaking before the Dodgers’ series opener against the Chicago Cubs, Roberts addressed Ohtani’s recent struggles at the plate, which have seen the reigning MVP go through a rare cold spell over the past week. The manager did not mince words when asked whether Ohtani’s dual role as a pitcher and hitter could be contributing to the downturn.

 

“You start the season where he’s at with the innings and pitches and all that stuff, you could argue that there’s more focus on the pitching and there’s more demand on the pitching and what we’re asking of them,” Roberts said. “So there’s got to be some cuts into some of the bandwidth, the production on the offensive side. That’s just common sense.”

 

The admission comes as Ohtani, who signed a record-breaking contract with the Dodgers in the offseason, has posted a batting average well below his career norms in recent games. The slump is particularly jarring given that Ohtani has rarely been associated with the word “slump” on the hitting side throughout his MLB career.

 

“You don’t hear the word ‘slump’ correlated with Sho on the hitting side ever,” Roberts said. “So it is certainly unique. But yeah, he’s working, and it’ll balance itself out. But yeah, he’s going through it right now.”

 

Roberts elaborated on the challenges Ohtani faces in balancing his responsibilities as both a frontline starter and elite hitter. Last season, the two-way phenom focused more heavily on hitting due to a slower buildup on the pitching side. This year, however, the demands have shifted.

 

“Last year there was a slow buildup where you could argue that he was more focused on the hitting because there wasn’t much demand on the pitching side,” Roberts explained. “And then right now, you start the season where he’s at with the innings and pitches and all that stuff, you could argue that there’s more focus on the pitching and there’s more demand on the pitching and what we’re asking of them.”

 

The manager emphasized that Ohtani’s workload management is not something the player himself dictates. Despite Ohtani’s relentless drive to take every at-bat and pitch every inning, Roberts said the organization must step in to protect the star from overextending himself.

 

“I think it’s more of me talking to the organization and the coaches more so than Sho,” Roberts said. “And I say that because he’s going to want to do everything and feels like he can, and that’s what great players do, that’s their mindset. So I think that in this particular situation, you’d be taken out of his hands.”

 

Ohtani has historically had slower starts in April throughout his career, but Roberts acknowledged this one may be more extended due to the increased pitching demands. The manager expressed unwavering patience with his superstar, noting that Ohtani’s intelligence and talent merit a longer leash than any other player.

 

“Yes, absolutely it does,” Roberts said when asked if the circumstances grant Ohtani more patience. “I think he’s a very smart player. Obviously, we know the talent. And I do see that there were some adjustments within at-bats. So he certainly deserves more leash and more opportunity than essentially anyone.”

 

Behind the scenes, Ohtani’s demeanor remains largely unchanged, though Roberts noted subtle signs of frustration. The pitcher’s alter ego, which Roberts has praised in the past, is evident on the mound, but the hitter’s disappointment is visible through facial expressions.

 

“There’s certainly no bat-slamming, but you can tell that some of the facial expressions he makes show that he has high expectations for himself and his performance,” Roberts said. “So certainly not up to his standard.”

 

The manager also addressed concerns about whether Ohtani’s recent hit-by-pitch incidents have affected his mechanics. While Ohtani is a finely tuned athlete, Roberts said he has not heard from the training staff or hitting coaches that the physical toll has disrupted his swing.

 

“I don’t think there’s any kind of—I haven’t heard anything from the training staff or the hitting guys that it’s affected his mechanics,” Roberts said. “But something like that could put him out of whack. I don’t know if that’s it.”

 

The Dodgers’ lineup adjustments for Friday’s game also reflected broader roster concerns. Roberts revealed that infielder Will Smith is dealing with back tightness, prompting an extra day of rest. Outfielder Max Muncy is under the weather, leading to a reshuffled batting order that includes Dalton Rushing in the lineup.

 

“Will’s back is a little tight,” Roberts said. “So I figured I’d give him an extra day. See how he comes in tomorrow. Max is a little under the weather, so I wanted to get an extra bat against Ray. I just felt like leaving Tuck in the four. I like that. And yeah, got Dalton in there.”

 

Smith’s back issue flared up yesterday or a couple days ago, but Roberts downplayed concerns, calling it “just a little tightness” and “nothing of concern right now.” The decision to rest Smith was strategic, as Roberts noted there was “really no cost” in giving him the day off and playing him tomorrow.

 

In other injury updates, outfielder Mookie Betts took batting practice in the cage and is feeling good, though he is growing anxious to return. Pitcher Brock is progressing through his rehab, with a back-to-back outing scheduled for the end of next week before a real conversation about his return.

 

“Brock’s got to do a back-to-back,” Roberts said. “So you’re probably looking at a couple days down and then do a back-to-back at the end of next week, and then at that point in time, it’ll be a real conversation.”

 

Infielder Tommy is continuing his progression, but Roberts was uncertain about a timeline for running the bases or taking live at-bats. The player experienced some progress in running before getting sore a couple weeks ago, forcing the team to scale back.

 

“There was some progress, and then he got sore about a couple weeks ago,” Roberts said. “So then we stood down a little bit and tried to maintain the running progression and not build it up. Where he’s at today, I’m not sure. I feel that from talking to him, he feels like he’s in a good spot, but we haven’t really pushed him as far as arcs and running the bases yet.”

 

Looking ahead to the Cubs series, Roberts praised Chicago as a formidable opponent despite their own pitching injuries. The Cubs are leading their division, and Roberts expects them to be buyers at the trade deadline.

 

“Really good team,” Roberts said. “They’re being ravaged by pitching injuries right now. They can really defend. And they can really hit as far as guys get on base situationally and they can get hits. I think they’re going to be in the mix. It’s a great organization, well-run, so they’re going to be in the mix. And then it just goes to who’s playing the best at that point in time. But yeah, it’s no surprise that they’re leading that division.”

 

The manager also highlighted the importance of pitcher Roki Sasaki’s performance tonight, coming off a tough loss for the team. Roberts expressed confidence in Sasaki’s continued improvement.

 

“I think it’s more of not just how we’ve done the last week,” Roberts said. “For me, it’s individual to Roki in the sense that his last outing, his last couple have been better every time. So I think for me, it’s you just want improvement. And I think that’s kind of what I’m expecting tonight.”

 

Roberts also reflected on the 50th anniversary of Rick Monday’s iconic flag-saving moment, calling it a great moment in American and baseball history. He praised Monday’s courage and emphasized the importance of the American flag.

 

“It’s a great moment in American history and baseball history,” Roberts said. “What Rick did at that moment in time was pretty remarkable and courageous. We have a lot to be grateful for, and I do think that people take that for granted. That symbol, the American flag, is really important to Americans, and he preserved the integrity. That was pretty cool right there. So I’m glad 50 years later we can recognize that.”

 

As the Dodgers navigate Ohtani’s adjustment period and a slew of injuries, Roberts remains focused on the long-term picture. The manager’s patience with his two-way star underscores the organization’s commitment to letting Ohtani find his rhythm, even as the demands of pitching continue to test his legendary abilities.