The Los Angeles Dodgers will enter Game 3 of the NLCS against the Milwaukee Brewers tomorrow night.
Ahead of the meeting, the organization revealed a decision on Shohei Ohtani.
According to Jon Morosi of MLB Network, skipper Dave Roberts announced that Ohtani will be in the lineup for Game 3.
Dodgers’ Shohei Ohtani Will Be in Game 3 Lineup vs. Brewers
Los Angeles knew a decision had to be made regarding 32-year-old Ohtani for Game 3, but he was “adamant” about staying in the lineup, per Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic.
“In this big moment, we’re listening to Shohei,” Roberts said, as reported by Ardaya. “And we’re supporting the crap out of him and believe in him.”
During his 2026 regular season, Ohtani slashed .275/.377/.512 with a .889 OPS and 30 homers through 139 games. He logged 26 doubles, four triples and 81 RBIs.
Now, Ohtani’s performance hasn’t been as prolific this time around.
As Mike Petriello of MLB.com pointed out, “It seems eminently clear that Ohtani is not anywhere near his full-strength self, and if it later comes out that he’s simply too physically compromised to succeed but is trying to play through it for the sake of the team, it would surprise absolutely no one.”
Nevertheless, Ohtani is rather confident about his ability to bring his disappointing slump to a screeching halt.
Where Do the Dodgers Currently Stand in the Postseason?
In typical Los Angeles fashion, the Dodgers pushed their way into the postseason with what seemed to be a high level of ease.
But now, they’re in the midst of the grueling National League Championship Series, and the Brewers are dominating.
In Game 1, Milwaukee clinched a tight 2-1 victory over Los Angeles, followed by a whopping 7-4 victory in Game 2 on Monday, Oct. 12.
Game 3 is scheduled for Wednesday, Oct. 14, at 8 p.m. ET at Dodger Stadium.
Los Angeles has yet another World Series appearance within arm’s reach, but they must eliminate Milwaukee to do so.
In a bold NLCS prediction, Katie Woo of The Athletic stated, “If there’s one team in the field that can topple the champs, it’s Milwaukee. But the Dodgers are built for October. They have a vaunted starting rotation, headlined by one of the best postseason pitchers in MLB history, and enough depth in their lineup to withstand Shohei Ohtani’s slump. Their offense is streaky, and Milwaukee’s arms will test it. This will be a tough series, but I expect the reigning champions to prevail.”
The Dodgers are off to a brutal start in this series, but it’s not over until it’s over.
They’re a strong postseason team, but the Brewers should not be underestimated.
Dodgers Reveal Important Shohei Ohtani Decision Before NLCS Game 3