Dave Roberts Stands Behind Shohei Ohtani Lineup Decision

The Los Angeles Dodgers only scored one run without Shohei Ohtani in the lineup during their loss to the Miami Marlins on Tuesday, but manager Dave Roberts doesn’t believe the superstar’s absence from the batting order is a cause for concern.

Ohtani didn’t pick up a bat on his bump day for the second time this season, and the Dodgers’ offense struggled as a whole. They left eight runners on base in the contest, and went 2-for-7 with runners in scoring position.

Rather than blaming Ohtani’s absence, though, Roberts insists the result came due to the collective underperformance of the lineup.

“I think the main thing is to do right by Shohei,” Roberts said. “Even without him tonight in the lineup, we should’ve won the game. I feel good about it. I’d do the same thing again.”

“…If you’re not going to put up crooked numbers and clicking on all cylinders, you gotta be good situationally. And we were not good at all tonight situationally. That’s what it comes down to. You have a chance to catch a lead early in the first inning and stress them, and we let them off the hook. Then you have a chance in the eighth inning and do the same thing. And in between all that, there’s nothing going on. So when you do get opportunities, you gotta be good situationally. That’s just the bottom line.”

What Opportunities Did the Dodgers Miss Out On?

The Dodgers failed to capitalize on favorable positions a few times on the night, but the biggest opportunity came in the bottom of the first. The Dodgers loaded the bases with just one out in the first, but both Max Muncy and Teoscar Hernandez found themselves out on just five total pitches without plating the first runner of the game.

Their next-best opportunity came after they put themselves on the board in the eighth, when they still had two runners on with one out. Cleanup hitter Kyle Tucker and Muncy popped out and grounded out, though, ending the inning.

Would Shohei Ohtani Have Made a Difference?

While he’s still about .100 OPS short of what he averages as a Dodger, Ohtani is still an offensive force and would certainly have positively contributed to the Dodgers’ bid to win the game. That being said, the leadoff spot didn’t come up in any crucial situations last night.

He has a .898 OPS through the Dodgers’ first 30 games of the season, hitting six homers with 13 RBIs. While his numbers with runners in scoring position aren’t great this season, he’s still come through on multiple occasions and seven of his 13 RBIs have come in those situations.

That being said, the Dodgers are notoriously cautious with their players to ensure their health come the postseason, so Roberts’ call is definitely warranted.

What do you think of the Dodgers’ decision?