Shohei Ohtani’s struggles during this NLCS slump are a major blow to the Dodgers' championship aspirations. Bench talk underscores how quickly the narrative can turn on even the biggest superstars in October.
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Shohei Ohtani looks broken for the Dodgers, and he could be benched in NLCS vs. Brewers
The NLCS now shifts to the West Coast, after the Milwaukee Brewers took the first two games of the series at home, pushing the Los Angeles Dodgers into unfamiliar territory as they trail two games to none in the series. The slugger continues to struggle at the plate, and Ohtani endured an 0-for-4 night with two strikeouts on Monday after going 1-for-3 with a single in Game 1. Ohtani entered the NLCS having gone just 2-for-13 against the Atlanta Braves, and now sits at 3-for-20 this postseason with a trio of singles, along with three walks. Speaking after the game, manager Dave Roberts had this to say about the team's superstar, as quoted by The Athletic: "Yeah, I mean, obviously it hasn't been good. He doesn't feel great. I think for me, it's having a conversation with him tomorrow, kind of try to figure out what's best for him, what's best for us. He certainly has earned that conversation and deserves it. Our own Eric Stephen, who "has practice in Robertsese" as he described it, declared early Tuesday morning "that means Ohtani won't be starting in Game 3 on Wednesday at Dodger Stadium." How did we get here, with the Dodgers contemplating sitting none other than Shohei Ohtani in a must-win playoff game? Ohtani has been dealing with several injuries this season, starting with a left knee issue which caused him to miss some starts on the bump in the summer, and to miss the All-Star Game together as he sought treatment for the knee ailment.
October 13, 2026Yahoo Sports
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