{
  "id": 13653406,
  "title": "Dodgers’ Dave Roberts sends message to Shohei Ohtani before NLCS amid slump",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/11/dodgers-dave-roberts-sends-message-to-shohei-ohtani-before-nlcs-amid",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-10-11T05:35:59.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Yahoo Sports",
    "slug": "yahoo-sports",
    "url": "https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/dodgers-dave-roberts-sends-message-053559650.html"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts has reassured superstar Shohei Ohtani that he does not expect the player to bear the brunt of the team's offensive load during the National League Championship Series. Roberts spoke ahead of Game 1 against the Milwaukee Brewers, emphasizing the importance of getting on base and taking good at-bats. He reiterated that any positive contribution would be valued, whether it is a home run or a walk. Ohtani's recent struggles were evident in the NL Division Series against the Atlanta Braves, where he went 2-for-13 with four strikeouts and two walks. This slump follows Ohtani's injury issues in September, which limited his playing time in the final week of the regular season. Despite the slump, Roberts remains optimistic about Ohtani's performance, stating that he believes the player will \"come to life at some point.\" The Dodgers managed to secure a 4-1 victory in Game 4 against Atlanta, even as Ohtani, Mookie Betts, Freddie Freeman, and Will Smith went 0-for-15 in the series-clinching game. For the NLCS, Roberts has targeted pitcher Tarik Skubal for Ohtani, while Yoshinobu Yamamoto is set to start Game 2 in Milwaukee. The Dodgers will rely on Ohtani's contribution, even if it means simply getting on base, as they aim to secure their third consecutive World Series title.",
  "summary": "Shohei Ohtani has not looked like himself this October, and the Los Angeles Dodgers are not asking him to carry the load right away. Ahead of Game 1 of the National League Championship Series against the Milwaukee Brewers , manager Dave Roberts lowered the bar for his superstar. “For tomorrow it’s just get on base, take good at-bats, and we’ll deal […] The post Dodgers’ Dave Roberts sends message…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 3,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Yahoo Sports",
        "title": "Christian Yelich and the Brewers looking to get past Shohei Ohtani and the Dodgers in NLCS sequel",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/10/christian-yelich-and-the-brewers-looking-to-get-past-shohei-ohtani-13546341",
        "published": "2026-10-10T21:40:43.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Winnipeg Free Press",
        "title": "Christian Yelich and the Brewers looking to get past Shohei Ohtani and the Dodgers in NLCS sequel",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/10/christian-yelich-and-the-brewers-looking-to-get-past-shohei-ohtani",
        "published": "2026-10-10T21:41:08.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}