Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani thrilled to begin Postseason run

LOS ANGELES --  As the Dodgers prepare to face the San Diego Padres in the NLDS, Shohei Ohtani is looking forward to playing in his first playoff game of his career. 

When asked if he is nervous, Ohtani quickly responded "No," without the help of his translator, Will Ireton.

Shohei Ohtani spoke at his media availability on Friday and explained why he isn't nervous before his first postseason game.

“It’s always been my childhood dream to be in important situations and play in important games, so I think the excitement of that is greater than anything else I could possibly feel.”

Game 1 is set for Saturday evening, marking a pivotal moment in the franchise's history. In the last two seasons, the Dodgers have been knocked out in the first round by teams with lower regular season records that also played in their division.

The Padres eliminated the Dodgers in 2022 by winning the series 3-1. The Dodgers won Game 1 at Dodger Stadium but lost the next three games. In 2023, the Arizona Diamondbacks swept the No. 2 seed Dodgers, outscoring them 19-6 in three games.

It was a disappointing season for the Dodgers, particularly for the top of the lineup, as Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman struggled throughout the series, managing only one hit between them.

Dodgers manager Dave Roberts addressed the media on Friday. He was asked about the impact that Ohtani brings to the lineup this season compared to previous seasons without him.

“He’s a crazy, talented ball player,” Roberts said. “He’s the most talented hitter on the field and he can change the game in a lot of different ways.”

Roberts acknowledged the fact that even though Ohtani doesn't have any postseason experience in MLB, he understands that Ohtani has experience playing in Japan, winning a championship and winning the World Baseball Classic. Ohtani struck out his former teammate Mike Trout to win the WBC in one of the most clutch moments in history. Roberts is excited to see how Ohtani's new experience plays out.

Ohtani had mixed feelings about not being part of the postseason in previous years. He mentioned watching the Dodgers win in 2020 while he was in Seattle. These memories have made Ohtani eager for the opportunity and he is thrilled to begin his postseason run.

The Dodgers also have right-hander Yoshinobu Yamamoto, who has yet to play in a postseason game. During his media availability, Yamamoto expressed his excitement and shared how inspiring it was for him to watch former Dodgers pitcher Kenta Maeda during the postseason when he was playing in Japan. He also discussed how he plans to handle the pressure going into his Game 1 start.

“Lots of support from the fans is going to make it a little bit easier for me to push myself and perform more than what I got,” Yamamoto said through his translator Yoshihiro Sonoda.

Yamamoto, 26, finished with a 7-2 record and a 3.00 ERA. He was originally scheduled to start Game 2 on Sunday. However, Dodgers President of Baseball Operations announced on Thursday that Yamamoto will be moved to Game 1 and Jack Flaherty will be moved to Sunday.

"The experience in Japan Series and the World Baseball Classic, other big games will definitely help and I'd like to utilize it," Yamamoto said. "However, I'd just like to think that this playoff game is just one normal game."

The change in pitchers means that Yamamoto will be able to pitch in Game 5 at Dodger Stadium if needed. The NLDS Game 3 will resume on Tuesday with the first pitch scheduled for 6:08 pm. If necessary, Game 4 will take place on Wednesday at 6:08 pm, and if needed, Game 5 will be on Friday, October 11th at 5:08 pm.

The Padres will start with Dylan Cease for Game 1 and Yu Darvish will pitch Game 2 on Sunday.

One of the significant concerns about this team is Freddie Freeman's health.

Dodgers GM Brandon Gomes expressed optimism on Wednesday that Freeman will be in the starting lineup on Saturday. Freeman twisted his ankle last Thursday while running to first base and tried to avoid the tag from the first baseman.

Freeman faced live pitching for the first time on Thursday against right-hander Tony Gonsolin, who is also rehabbing his way back to the roster. On Friday, Freeman was taking ground balls and going through his usual pregame routine, doing fielding drills with third base coach Dino Ebel.

“I feel good, good enough,” Freeman said on Friday during his media availability.

The swelling has subsided over the last few days and he has taken all the necessary steps to get approval. The team has confirmed that he is ready to play in Game 1 on Saturday.