Ohtani Returns for Dodgers' Game 3 as Los Angeles Trails Brewers 2-0

Q: Will Ohtani's lingering injuries force Los Angeles to make the most controversial lineup change in recent playoff history?

Yes — if the Dodgers sit Shohei Ohtani for Game 3, it would rank among the most controversial playoff lineup decisions in recent memory, but the move would be grounded in performance and health, not panic. The case for it is unusually strong. Ohtani has been compromised by lingering right biceps and left knee injuries for weeks, and Dave Roberts has acknowledged that he “doesn’t feel great.” The production drop is severe: over his last 35 games, regular season and postseason combined, Ohtani is hitting .197 with a .629 OPS, has not homered since Aug. 18, and has driven in only one run in that span. In this postseason, he is 3-for-20 with no extra-base hits. The Dodgers also have an immediate competitive reason to act. Down 0-2 in a best-of-seven series, they need healthier at-bats and more on-base traffic. Roberts already tried a softer adjustment by dropping Ohtani in the order, but the slump continued. If the injuries are affecting his bat speed, balance and strike-zone control, leaving him in simply because of his stature risks sentiment overriding evidence. That said, “force” may be too strong unless Ohtani and the medical staff agree he is truly limited. Roberts has also stressed that Ohtani remains a threat and has earned a voice in the decision. Benching a four-time MVP in October would be stunning, but with Josue De Paula available as a DH option, Los Angeles now has a plausible alternative. If the Dodgers make the move, it will be controversial — and defensible.

3 articles · Updated · ESPN · Oct 14

Dave Roberts said Shohei Ohtani will start Wednesday's NLCS Game 3 after a "great conversation," ending a day of uncertainty over whether the Dodgers would sit him.
The decision comes with Los Angeles down 2-0 after a 7-4 Game 2 loss in Milwaukee, where Ohtani went 0-for-4 with two strikeouts.
Ohtani has only three hits in 20 postseason at-bats and has not homered since Aug. 18, while batting .156/.283/.200 over the past eight weeks after an injured-list stint.
Teammates Mookie Betts and Max Muncy said the club still backs Ohtani, with Betts calling him a player the Dodgers "need" as they try to turn the series.