Dodgers Consider Benched Shohei Ohtani After Game 2 Loss to Brewers

Following a 7-4 defeat to the Milwaukee Brewers in Game 2 of the National League Championship Series on Monday, the Los Angeles Dodgers are considering benching Shohei Ohtani due to a prolonged postseason slump and underlying physical issues, according to reporting detailed by The Athletic. The decision comes as the Dodgers face a 2-0 deficit heading back to Los Angeles.

Evaluating Ohtani’s Postseason Struggles and Physical Condition

Shohei Ohtani’s difficult stretch at the plate has placed the Dodgers in a precarious position as the series shifts to Dodger Stadium for Game 3 on Wednesday. Ohtani went 0-for-4 as the cleanup hitter in Monday’s matchup at American Family Field, bringing his total output in the current postseason to just three hits—all singles—in 20 at-bats. That marks a .150 batting average with seven strikeouts and three walks.

Manager Dave Roberts told The Athletic after the game that he planned to have a conversation with Ohtani on Tuesday to determine what is best for the player and the team. A source with knowledge of the situation who was not authorized to speak publicly indicated that discussions regarding benching Ohtani factor in the likelihood that he is not fully recovered from previous injuries.

Ohtani has dealt with issues in his left knee and right biceps for much of the season. After beginning the year as a two-way standout—posting a 6-2 pitching record with a 0.74 ERA and batting .301 with 10 home runs through early June—physical ailments eventually halted his pitching duties. Following his last home run on August 18, Ohtani batted just .151 across 93 plate appearances, entering a drought without a home run that now spans 110 plate appearances.

Sí, no le ha ido bien. No se siente bien, Roberts told The Athletic. Creo que lo que toca es hablar con él mañana e intentar determinar qué es lo mejor para él y qué es lo mejor para nosotros. Sin duda, se ha ganado esa conversación y la merece.

Bullpen Dominance and Shortened Outings Define Game 2

Milwaukee’s pitching staff capitalized on Los Angeles’s offensive stagnation. In Game 2, the Brewers’ bullpen tossed five perfect innings—a record of the postseason—completely neutralizing the top of the Dodgers’ order. Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman both fell victim to late-inning pitching changes by Brewers manager Pat Murphy, with Aaron Ashby striking out Freeman on four pitches in the eighth.

Photo: mediotiempo.com

Todos lanzan a 100 [mph] desde diferentes ángulos, Freeman remarked after the loss.

Compounding the offensive troubles, Dodgers starting pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto suffered the shortest outing of his career, lasting just 2⅔ innings. Yamamoto yielded early runs, including a two-run single by Christian Yelich that gave Milwaukee the early momentum.

Simplemente no estaba en su mejor momento esta noche, lo cual es muy raro, Roberts noted regarding Yamamoto’s early exit.

Game Metric / Detail	Los Angeles Dodgers	Milwaukee Brewers
Series Standing After Game 2	0 Wins	2 Wins
Game 2 Final Score	4 Runs	7 Runs
Game 2 Hits Recorded	3 Hits	–
Shohei Ohtani Postseason Stats	3 for 20 (.150)	–

Potential Lineup Adjustments for Game 3

If the Dodgers proceed with benching Ohtani for Wednesday’s crucial matchup, options exist within the organization to shake up the roster. Josue de Paula could step in as the designated hitter. De Paula, ranked as the number four prospect in MLB Pipeline, was promoted from Double-A in mid-September when Ohtani initially went to the injured list, making an immediate impression by reaching base in half of his 42 plate appearances.

Despite the mounting pressure and offensive gaps, veteran leadership inside the clubhouse remains focused on regrouping before the series shifts west.

Creo que solo tenemos que reorganizarnos y averiguar qué tenemos que hacer individualmente. Pero no hay ninguna duda was the sentiment regarding the team’s outlook.

More on this story: Dodgers Considering Benching Struggling Shohei Ohtani in NLCS · Dodgers vs. Brewers Game 2: Start Time and TV Channel