"Hard to replace Mookie Betts, but Shohei’s done a fine job” - Dave Roberts lauds Shohei Ohtani’s performance at lead-off spot in absence of Betts

Shohei Ohtani's "Show-Time" performances are showing no signs of stopping anytime soon. In Thursday's game, Ohtani's lead-off solo home run gave the Dodgers an early lead, which later converted into a 5-3 victory. This 3-1 road series victory against the Colorado Rockies brought their season record to 47-30.

In the absence of Mookie Betts, the team's lead role has been given to Shohei Ohtani. He went 8-for-18 with six runs and seven RBIs with two home runs in their series against the Rockies, which impressed Dave Roberts, the Dodgers manager.

“It's hard to replace Mookie Betts, but Shohei's done a fine job,” Roberts said on MLB Network Radio. “My message to him was just go out there and continue to do what he's doing. And if he sees the first pitch that's in his zone, give it a rip. And, yeah, he's swinging the bat well.”

“He's going to be in there, you know, for the foreseeable future,” Roberts added. “And I say this by default in jest, but a little bit is, that he's the only guy that's really hit lead off. And so I felt that it wasn’t a big change for him.”

Roberts thinks that Ohtani will be handling the Dodgers’ leadoff role for the foreseeable future.

Shohei Ohtani currently leads the National League in runs (59), home runs (21), slugging (.615), OPS (1.006), and total bases (182).

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Shohei Ohtani ready to fill the void of Mookie Betts for the time being

Mookie Betts is currently on the Injured List due to a fracture in his left hand, with no set timeline for his return. For now, Miguel Rojas and Enrique Hernandez are filling in for him in the Dodgers' infield.

Even though the Dodgers managed to win the series against the Rockies without Betts, his leadership void was noted by fellow MVP Shohei Ohtani.

Ohtani expressed his intention to help address the situation by working closely with other Dodger teammates.

“It's a hole that is not easy to fill, obviously with the leadership position he embodies. But we just have to find a way as a collective unit to cover him," Ohtani told SportsNet LA through his interpreter, Will Ireton, in Wednesday’s post-game conformance.

Betts has been a key player for the Dodgers this season, posting a .304/.405/.488 stat line and an impressive .892 OPS in 72 games. It remains to be seen how his absence will impact the Dodgers and if they will be able to continue their winning streak until he returns.

The Dodgers will next play a two-gameseries is their cross-city rivals, the Los Angeles Angels, at Dodger Stadium starting Friday.