The Dodgers are riding high during their final homestand of the first half, taking a commanding 3-0 series lead over the San Diego Padres after shutting them out 3-0 on Saturday.<\/p>\n
The latter game\u2019s success was done without Shohei Ohtani in the lineup, as the two-way superstar was absent after striking out nine hitters in a no-decision on Friday. Ohtani is expected to return to the starting lineup on Sunday, although his injury concerns might forfeit his final scheduled start of the regular season on the mound, notes Sonja Chen of MLB.com<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cWe don\u2019t need to make that decision today, tomorrow, the next day, so we have time,\u201d Roberts said. \u201cAnd I think for us it\u2019s just more of reading and reacting on how he feels.\u201d<\/p>\n Freddie Freeman has been one of the hottest hitters for the Dodgers ever since the middle of May, as he drove in two runs on Saturday including his 15th home run of the season, a feat he didn\u2019t achieve last year until August. Freeman spoke with Kirsten Watson of SportsNet LA<\/a> about earning yet another All-Star selection, as the Dodgers\u2019 first baseman was selected as the NL\u2019s starting first baseman and garnering his 10th career selection prior to the start of Saturday\u2019s contest.<\/p>\n \u201cI just want to say thank you to the fans for voting me in. It\u2019s a special one to go to. I get to have my family picture and do all that kinds of stuff. I know my boys are happy, and I\u2019d say my girl too but I don\u2019t think she knows what\u2019s going on yet. It\u2019s going to be awesome. 10 All-Star games\u2014 I couldn\u2019t ask for a more special experience.\u201d<\/p>\n Yoshinobu Yamamoto responded tremendously to the news of him being selected to his second consecutive All-Star game, as the right-hander shut down the Padres over seven scoreless innings while tying a career-high in strikeouts with 10 on Saturday night.<\/p>\n