Shohei Ohtani will remain in Dodgers lineup for NLCS Game 3
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts confirmed that Shohei Ohtani will start Game 3 of the NLCS against the Brewers as Los Angeles faces a 2-0 deficit.
- Headline: Shohei Ohtani will remain in Dodgers lineup for NLCS Game 3
- Dispatch Summary: Dodgers manager Dave Roberts confirmed that Shohei Ohtani will start Game 3 of the NLCS against the Brewers as Los Angeles faces a 2-0 deficit.
- Verification: Corroborated across independent reporting outlets with primary sources and real-time wire transmissions.
Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts announced on Tuesday afternoon that Shohei Ohtani will remain in the starting lineup for Game 3 of the National League Championship Series against the Milwaukee Brewers on Wednesday at Dodger Stadium. The decision follows a period of speculation regarding a potential benching as the team faces a 2-0 deficit in the best-of-seven series.
Roberts confirmed the plan after holding discussions with the designated hitter, who is nursing lingering right biceps and left knee injuries that sidelined him for 12 days in September.
Ohtani is 3 for 20 this postseason and 1 for 7 through the first two games of the NLCS, drawing scrutiny for non-competitive at-bats and an off-balance approach at the plate."He's adamant he feels good enough to be in there. He's close to finding something with his swing. I feel great about it,"
Dave Roberts, via CBS Sports
The four-time MVP has struggled to produce power since late summer, carrying a drought that stretches back to his last home run on August 18 at Coors Field. His current stretch of plate appearances without a home run is a career high at 110, surpassing his previous mark of 104 from 2022-23. Ohtani spoke through interpreter Will Ireton on Tuesday, taking full responsibility for his output while maintaining that his physical symptoms have subdued significantly since his time on the injured list.
Weighing Options and Historical Odds
The timing of Roberts' decision highlights the delicate balance between loyalty to a superstar and the immediate demands of postseason survival. Ohtani hit .275/.377/.512 with 30 home runs and threw 85 ⅔ innings with a 1.79 ERA during the regular season before injuries curtailed his pitching on July 3 and slowed his bat down the stretch. In his last 35 games combined between the regular season and the playoffs, he is hitting .197 with a .629 OPS. Brewers manager Pat Murphy acknowledged the looming threat of those past capabilities when speaking to reporters Wednesday.
Los Angeles does have alternatives on the roster, notably 21-year-old top prospect Josue De Paula, who reached base 21 times in 11 regular-season games and has worked two walks in three postseason pinch-hitting appearances. Yet Roberts opted to stick with the veteran, dropping him from the second spot in the order down to the cleanup position during the NLDS in an attempt to spark production as the team has managed only nine singles and one double in two losses to Milwaukee.
History suggests the margin for error is razor-thin for the Dodgers as they return home. Teams holding a 2-0 lead in a best-of-seven series have historically gone on to win the series 83% of the time, placing immense pressure on Wednesday night's performance.
The Daily Process at the Plate
Behind the scenes, Ohtani's daily routine involves constant mechanical adjustments as he tries to recapture his timing against major-league velocity. As of now with the swing, it's a daily process of trying different things, different feel on a daily basis,
Ohtani said Tuesday through Ireton. The slugger has attempted to shorten his swing to counter velocity and drive the ball the other way, though those adjustments have not yet yielded extra-base hits in October.
With Ohtani locked into the Game 3 lineup, the central question for the Dodgers is whether his daily mechanical experiments can translate into effective contact before the deficit becomes insurmountable. The answer will determine if Los Angeles can climb back into the series or if their championship pursuit will end under the weight of an unresolved slump.
