Roberts: Dodgers need Ohtani to 'be better' to win World Series

Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts says Shohei Ohtani needs to perform better if his club stands a chance of winning the World Series.

Ohtani is 4-for-27 during this year's playoffs, and went 1-for-18 with nine strikeouts during the four-game division series against the Philadelphia Phillies.

"We're not going to win the World Series with that sort of performance," Roberts said Saturday, according to Bill Plunkett of the Orange-County Register.

The Dodgers star's been especially ineffective against left-handed pitching this postseason, going 1-for-16 with eight strikeouts.

Roberts believes Ohtani, who posted an .898 OPS against southpaws during the regular season, will be able to figure out how to fix his struggles before the NLCS.

"We're counting on a recalibration, getting back into the strike zone, and understanding when he faces left-handed pitching what they're gonna try to do – crowd him in, off (the plate), spin him away," Roberts said. "He's just gotta be better at managing the hitting zone.

"I'm counting on it. We're all counting on it."

Roberts admitted Ohtani hasn't been as effective at the plate on days he pitches, but believes they'll be able to come up with a plan to ensure it doesn't continue in the NLCS.

"(When) he's pitching, he's probably trying to conserve energy, not trying to get into at-bats. It hasn't been good when he's pitched," Roberts said. "I do think that's part of it. We've got to think through this and come up with a better game plan."