Ohtani Could Sit in NLCS Game 3 — Dodgers Face a Decision They Never Expected
GOATIFYFor most of the past decade, the idea of voluntarily taking Shohei Ohtani out of a postseason lineup would have sounded absurd. Yet the Los Angeles Dodgers have reached a point where the possibility must at least be discussed. Milwaukee has won the first two games of the National League Championship Series, Ohtani has collected only three singles in 20 postseason at-bats, and manager Dave Roberts plans to talk with his star before Wednesday's Game 3.
That conversation is not the same thing as a confirmed benching. No Game 3 lineup decision had been announced when the possibility emerged Tuesday. But the question itself reveals how dramatically Los Angeles' championship pursuit has changed. The two-time defending World Series champions need immediate offense against a Brewers staff that just retired the final 15 Dodgers hitters in order. The player normally expected to anchor that response is struggling to make the kind of contact that once defined him.
A 3-for-20 October isn't the whole problem
Ohtani went hitless in four at-bats with two strikeouts in Monday's 7-4 loss. Across six playoff games he has three singles in 20 at-bats, plus three walks. His current batting line is .150/.261/.150, not the slugging threat the Dodgers expected. The decline started well before this NLCS. His last home run came on August 18. Ohtani was batting .293 with 22 homers before the All-Star break, but his second-half average fell to .245. He still finished the season with 30 homers and 81 RBIs, numbers that hide his recent struggles. The central question is whether the loss of power comes from injuries, mechanics, or both.
Ohtani's knee trouble disrupted his summer pitching schedule and contributed to his All-Star absence. A biceps problem later complicated his recovery and led to an injured-list stint in September. Los Angeles stopped asking him to pitch this season, hoping that a narrower focus on hitting would help him recover. Instead, his contact has become less forceful as the stakes have risen. The timing leaves the Dodgers uncertain. Is the slump primarily mechanical, physical, or an overlap of the two? A box score cannot settle that question.
Ohtani has experimented with a shorter swing and more opposite-field contact. His swing has looked slower and less powerful than earlier in the season. He has struggled to catch up with fastballs and is trying to adjust his approach at the plate. One poor game can be a coincidence; several weeks of diminished production suggest a deeper issue. The Dodgers must weigh the chance of a sudden rebound against the evidence from his recent at-bats. That does not mean Ohtani has forgotten how to hit. His track record still gives him immense upside. But Milwaukee can exploit a lineup that waits for one dramatic swing rather than creating steady traffic. In a seven-game series, an extra baserunner can be as valuable as a famous name in the batting order. Los Angeles needs to know whether its best hitter is physically able to produce the at-bats the moment demands.
Roberts must decide whether De Paula is the better Game 3 bet
Roberts has already tried changing Ohtani's batting-order spot rather than removing him. He has batted second, fifth and fourth in recent games, but the reshuffling has not restored his production. After Game 2, Roberts said he wanted to speak with Ohtani about what would be best for player and team. That acknowledgment is meaningful, but it is not confirmation that a benching has already been ordered.
Josue De Paula is the immediate alternative, after impressing in limited major-league action this season. De Paula hit .323 in 31 at-bats, reached base at a .500 rate and earned a postseason roster spot. De Paula is young, but his plate discipline could help. He can force opposing pitchers to work longer at-bats. That could matter against Milwaukee's formidable relief corps.
There is an obvious risk in replacing a superstar with a rookie. De Paula's major-league sample is tiny, and an NLCS start would be a much tougher assignment. His impressive numbers cannot guarantee that he will outperform Ohtani over the next nine innings. Nor would a day off necessarily solve Ohtani's health concerns. The choice is about the next game, not a permanent verdict on either player's talent. Roberts must decide which option offers the best chance to create useful plate appearances immediately.
The urgency comes from the series score. Milwaukee has won both games at home. Los Angeles returns to Dodger Stadium trying to avoid a 3-0 deficit in a best-of-seven series. On Monday, the Dodgers managed just three hits and went 0-for-4 with runners in scoring position. Four Milwaukee relievers then retired the final 15 Dodgers hitters in order. Even the Dodgers' four runs came without a run-producing hit, exposing how difficult it has been to build rallies. A lineup that cannot sustain pressure is asking too much of its pitching staff. Yoshinobu Yamamoto's early exit in Game 2 only increased the strain on Los Angeles. The defending champions need more than a single moment of brilliance to reverse the series.
Roberts could start Ohtani but prepare an earlier substitution if the quality of contact remains poor. Or he could start De Paula and reserve Ohtani for a carefully chosen pinch-hit opportunity. Each option involves trade-offs in experience, health, power and plate discipline. The important point is that the decision must be deliberate, not automatic.
Milwaukee will test whichever hitter Roberts chooses for Game 3. The Brewers have a deep bullpen and have repeatedly prevented Los Angeles from building long rallies. Game 3 will reveal whether the Dodgers can respond with a more patient, productive offense.
The Dodgers' dilemma is not whether Shohei Ohtani deserves trust after everything he has accomplished. It is whether the version of Ohtani available right now gives them their strongest chance in Game 3. Roberts can respect his star's standing while still weighing the evidence from a difficult two-month stretch and a nearly silent postseason.
A conversation on Tuesday could lead to another start, a brief reset or a role for De Paula. Until a lineup is announced, benching remains a possibility rather than a fact. What is certain is that Los Angeles has no comfortable margin left: Milwaukee owns a 2-0 lead, Wednesday's game is at Dodger Stadium, and the defending champions need better at-bats from somebody. The extraordinary part is that one of baseball's biggest stars has become the center of that uncertainty.
