A commentary from the Los Angeles Times argues that the Dodgers should have taken Shohei Ohtani off their postseason roster. The piece is opinion, and the points below come from the captured text of that column, published in the Times' Dodgers coverage on Oct. 13 and 14, 2026.
According to the Times column, the Dodgers stick to a set plan during the regular season. They aim to win enough games to earn a bye in the opening round of the playoffs, which gives players the down time they need over the summer to be in top form in the fall.
The column adds that the team does not need to rush anyone off the injured list just to claim another National League West title. The writer's central argument is that the Dodgers did not follow that plan with Ohtani. The text available to us is cut off at several points, so it does not show the full reasoning behind that claim.
The Times also reports comments from manager Dave Roberts about Game 3 of the NL Championship Series. Roberts said the thinking was more about pairing Tuesday's day off with a second straight day of rest. The captured text does not make clear which decision he was describing.
The same page carries a linked headline reading, "Dave Roberts says Shohei Ohtani is adamant he feels good enough, will remain in lineup." Only the headline appears in the captured text, so its date and details are not confirmed here.
Because the source is a commentary with missing passages, readers should treat the roster criticism as the columnist's view. For the full argument, read the original Los Angeles Times piece.