Dodgers manager Dave Roberts expressed confidence that Shohei Ohtani will be ready for the postseason, emphasizing health over stats. With five days off before the wild‑card round, Roberts plans to monitor Ohtani’s workload sparingly, trusting the four‑time MVP to manage himself. Ohtani recently returned from a 13‑game IL stint with right biceps discomfort, batting .278 with 30 homers and 81 RBIs. He will not pitch again this year, focusing solely on hitting. Roberts believes five straight games and 20‑23 at‑bats will suffice for Ohtani to enter the playoffs strong, noting his encouraging swings and at‑bats.

The manager highlighted Ohtani’s role as leadoff hitter, saying a healthy star who can produce “good at‑bats” and draw pitchers around Mookie Betts benefits the offense. While Ohtani won’t repeat his historic NLCS performance, Roberts values his return and expects him to be full strength for October.

Roberts trusts Ohtani’s self‑management, planning only occasional check‑ins rather than daily monitoring, leaving most communication to the training staff. The Dodgers aim to have Ohtani in the lineup for the final five regular‑season games, giving him enough plate appearances to be postseason‑ready.