Shohei Ohtani was indeed in the Dodgers’ lineup for Game 3 of the National League Championship Series, as manager Dave Roberts confirmed on Tuesday amid speculation that the slugger could be benched.
However, Ohtani was dropped down to the No. 6 spot in the order amid his injury-hampered 3-for-20 slump in the playoffs, the lowest he had been slotted in his Dodgers career.
The move came with the club facing a 2-0 series hole to the Milwaukee Brewers in the best-of-seven NLCS.
It was another of sign that — despite their proclamations that he is close to turning things around — the Dodgers are uncertain about exactly what they will get from the two-way star, who was coming off his worst performance of the playoffs in an 0-for-4, two-strikeout clunker in Game 2.
Ohtani was not the only one to be dropped in the order. Another slumping bat, catcher Will Smith, slid to the seven-hole after starting the postseason in a 1-for-23 rut.
In their place, Kyle Tucker was moved into the cleanup spot and Andy Pages was shifted to the No. 5 spot.
It was all part of the Dodgers’ efforts to shift momentum in the series, and find better answers against a Brewers pitching staff that has held them to just five runs and 10 hits in the first two games of the NLCS.