The Los Angeles Dodgers are trying to stave off elimination from the National League Championship Series after falling behind by a 3-0 margin to the Milwaukee Brewers. Manager Dave Roberts has moved superstar Shohei Ohtani back to the lead off spot for the Dodgers even though he has been in a deep slump and has not hit a home run since mid-August.
Roberts spoke with Fox MLB insider Ken Rosenthal prior to the start of Game 4, and he said that he liked what he saw from Ohtani in Game 3 and that he had been putting in extra work to get his hitting stroke back. “He's here working with the coaches after games and he is doing all he can to get the job done,” Roberts said. “I liked what I saw yesterday and I want him to get five at bats in tonight's game.”
Ohtani reached base three times in the 6-2 loss in Game 3. He had a base hit, a base on balls and he was also hit by a pitch. Despite Roberts' confidence in the superstar, Ohtani struck out in his first at bat in Game 4.
Roberts has memories of 2004 Red Sox
Roberts played a pivotal role for the 2004 Boston Red Sox, the only team to come back from an 0-3 deficit in a postseason series in MLB history. When the Red Sox were trailing the New York Yankees o-3, Roberts was sent into the game to pinch run in the bottom of the ninth inning with his team down by a run. He promptly stole second base and then scored the tying run when the Red Sox were able to scratch out the tying hit against Hall of Fame closer Mariano Rivera. The Red Sox would go on to win that game and the next three to take the AL pennant.
Roberts said he remembered that Red Sox manager Terry Francona kept things “loose” in the dugout despite the 0-3 deficit and he would try to do the same thing for the Dodgers.