Dodgers manager today revised statement: Shohei Ohtani's start in World Series Game 4 remains uncertain.

Japanese media reported yesterday that Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts announced the World Series starting pitcher rotation would mirror that of the League Championship Series, and if the series reached Game 7, Shohei Ohtani would be on the bullpen standby. However, today he retracted, saying no final decision has been made yet.

According to Japanese media, Roberts stated on ABEMA’s exclusive program that the World Series starting pitcher rotation will be the same as the previous round, with Blake Snell, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, and Tyler Glasnow starting the first three games respectively. Shohei Ohtani is expected to start Game 4 of the World Series, and if the series goes to Game 7, he may also pitch in relief.

However, at today’s press conference in Toronto, Roberts only confirmed the starters for the first two games as Snell and Yamamoto, leaving the starters for Games 3 and 4 undecided. When asked if Ohtani might pitch in relief, he said, "We need to see how the entire series unfolds; no decision has been made yet."

Offensively, Ohtani is still the starting designated hitter leading off. After his two-home-run performance in the Wild Card opener, he managed only 4 hits in 33 at-bats over the next 8 games, with just one triple as his sole extra-base hit. However, in Game 4 of the National League Championship Series, where he was the starting pitcher, he hit home runs in all three at-bats and drew a walk, becoming the first player in MLB history to strike out 10 batters and hit 3 home runs in a single game.

Previous data analysis indicated that Ohtani struggles against left-handed pitchers with a swing angle below 38 degrees. In the NLCS Brewers’ roster, two such lefties—Jared Koenig and Robert Gasser—combined to face Ohtani in three plate appearances, resulting in two strikeouts and one groundout.

The Blue Jays’ projected starting rotation does not include left-handed pitchers, but their main bullpen lefties Brendon Little and Mason Fluharty have swing angles of 33 degrees, while Eric Lauer’s swing angle is 39 degrees.

Regarding the Dodgers’ two Japanese stars, Ohtani and Roki Sasaki, both of whom were previously pursued by the Blue Jays, manager Roberts said the Dodgers are very fortunate to have signed these players and believes they feel choosing the Dodgers was the right decision. Although the Blue Jays made it to the World Series in 1993, "in the end, the winner will definitely be us."