Shohei Ohtani is back but something doesnt look right with Dodgers star

Something’s not right.The Dodgers said so without saying so.When Shohei Ohtani returned from the 15-day injured list, they batted him second.This is no knock on Mookie Betts, who led off instead.Betts is an eight-time All-Star who is hitting .317 over his last 42 games, but Ohtani is, well, Ohtani. Ohtani is the best player in baseball when healthy, or even close to healthy.

If the Dodgers believed Ohtani could be that player for them in the postseason, they wouldn’t have moved him out of his customary spot in the order, and it wouldn’t have mattered how anyone else on their team was hitting or whether the opposing pitcher was right- and left-handed.Presumably, the Dodgers had more insights into his injured right arm and left knee than they shared. Which is why enthusiasm over Ohtani’s performance on Wednesday should be tempered.Without question, Ohtani looked better in the 5-1 loss to the San Diego Padres than he did the last time he played. That didn’t mean he was back to playing like himself – or that he will be at any time during the playoffs.The return of a Most Valuable Player can have transformative effects on a team, especially if that Most Valuable Player is as healthy as the Dodgers claimed Ohtani was after resting for two-plus weeks, but President of Baseball Operations Andrew Friedman and manager Dave Roberts both spent time before the game managing expectations.Asked which version of Ohtani was coming back to the team, Friedman replied, “I mean, these aren’t things there’s a clear answer to.”Roberts said he wanted to see Ohtani “being controlled, taking good at-bats.”By that standard, Ohtani’s first game back was a massive triumph.In the first inning, Ohtani singled off left-hander Robbie Ray on the kind of low pitch he was physically incapable of reaching two or three weeks earlier because of his knee problem.Ohtani later drove a high 99-mph fastball to the warning track, prompting Dodgers broadcaster Joe Davis to scream: ...