The Los Angeles Dodgers plan to gauge whether superstar Shohei Ohtani's lingering injuries warrant sitting out Game 3 of the National League Championship Series, a source told ESPN. The team will continue playing him if he deems himself healthy, but would sit him only if he believes the left knee and right bicep injuries that previously hindered him still compromise his performance.
Ohtani went 0-for-4 with two strikeouts in a 7-4 loss to the Milwaukee Brewers in Game 2 on Monday, leaving the Dodgers down 2-0 in the best-of-seven series. Manager Dave Roberts said he would have "a conversation" with Ohtani during Tuesday's workout in L.A. to "try to figure out what's best for him." Ohtani has not homered since Aug. 18 and has produced only three hits in 20 postseason at-bats. Over the past eight weeks, he is slashing .156/.283/.200.
Teammates acknowledged the struggles. Mookie Betts said, "It's hard to see," while Teoscar Hernandez said, "We obviously need his help." The slump is not Ohtani's alone. The Dodgers' bullpen-related problems have also surfaced, as Milwaukee relievers recorded 15 consecutive outs in the later innings of the past two games. Freddie Freeman pointed to the offense, saying, "It's hard to win games when you only get three hits."
The Dodgers are now 2-for-26 with runners in scoring position in the playoffs. Of the 19 runs they have scored in their first six games this month, 11 came via home run. Historically, 36 of the past 38 teams that faced a 2-0 deficit in a best-of-seven series were eliminated.
Source: ESPN MLB · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing