The Los Angeles Dodgers lost Game 2 of the National League Division Series to the Atlanta Braves 3-2 on Sunday night, evening the best-of-five series at one game apiece.
Shohei Ohtani's physical ailments—biceps, knee and neck injuries that have kept him from pitching this season—continue to compromise his hitting. In his final 18 regular season games, he batted.157 with a.503 on-base-plus-slugging percentage and struck out 29 times in 70 at-bats. He has not homered since Aug. 18 and has one RBI in that span. In the NLDS, he is 2 for 8 with no extra-base hits or walks.
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts confirmed Ohtani will bat in Game 3. "He'll be in there Game 3," Roberts said, noting the team needs to "take good at-bats and expect the best."
Roberts acknowledged that "no one feels perfect" at this stage but said he has received no indication Ohtani feels anything other than fine. Roberts questioned whether Ohtani is "trying to do too much."
The Dodgers face a strategic bind: moving Ohtani out of the No. 2 spot would signal doubt in their superstar and remove whatever fear he generates at the plate. In Game 2, the Braves walked Mookie Betts intentionally in the third inning to pitch to Ohtani, who popped out.
Ohtani's once-feared presence in the on-deck circle now creates unease among Dodgers fans. The series continues in Atlanta on Tuesday.
