SAN DIEGO —
Shohei Ohtani thought he could have played on Sunday. He was looking forward to facing Japanese compatriot Yu Darvish.
Dave Roberts didn’t let him.
Ohtani was never able to plead his case. On the morning of the Dodgers’ series finale against the San Diego Padres at Petco Park, Roberts told interpreter Will Ireton that Ohtani wouldn’t be in the lineup, and that was that.
A day after he was forced out of a game early by a stiff back, Ohtani didn’t play in the 4-0 loss to the Padres.
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Ohtani is expected to return on Monday for the start of a three-game series in San Francisco, Roberts said.