Dodgers Drop Struggling Shohei Ohtani To Fifth In Lineup For Game 3 vs. Braves

Following recent struggles at the plate, Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani will move down in the lineup for Game 3 of the NLDS against the Atlanta Braves.

Ohtani drops to fifth in the order, marking his lowest spot in a lineup since batting .190 over 44 games for the Angels in 2020. He swaps spots with outfielder Teoscar Hernández, who is hitting .267 with 16 home runs and 64 RBIs on the year.

Ohtani’s offensive slump has been hard to overlook. Over his last 10 games, he has recorded just eight hits and a .211 batting average, while consistently struggling to produce at the plate. Ohtani was placed on the IL in September with lingering left knee and right biceps injuries, and activated again before the postseason.

Ohtani remains one of the most dangerous postseason bats in baseball with game-changing potential. Still, in a high-stakes matchup against Braves ace Chris Sale, prioritizing lineup balance and consistency becomes essential.

Ohtani has struggled mightily against Sale throughout his career. In 15 plate appearances against the left-hander, Ohtani is just 3-for-15 with five strikeouts while posting a .517 OPS.

The top of the lineup will now feature Mookie Betts, Hernández, Freddie Freeman, Will Smith and Ohtani. Shifting Ohtani down to generate middle-of-the-order production could be seen as a bold move by manager Dave Roberts against a formidable Braves pitching staff. 

If Ohtani needed a wake-up call, Roberts and the Dodgers coaching staff just delivered it. All eyes will be on the new-look lineup Tuesday night as Los Angeles looks to take a 2-1 series lead over the Braves.