usatoday
As the Los Angeles Dodgers prepare for Game 3 of the National League Division Series against the Atlanta Braves, the spotlight is on Shohei Ohtani, whose performance has raised eyebrows. The series is knotted at one game apiece, and Ohtani's struggles at the plate have become a pressing concern rather than a source of optimism.
In Game 2, a 3-2 loss for the Dodgers, Ohtani managed just one hit in four at-bats—an opposite-field single. More troubling was his chase rate: he swung at pitches outside the strike zone 53% of the time, a significant jump from his season average of 30%, according to Baseball Savant. Delving deeper into his Game 2 plate appearances, Ohtani swung 11 times on 19 pitches, whiffed on seven, took a called strike, and recorded only one hard-hit ball, per Yahoo Sports.
The challenge intensifies on Tuesday, October 6, in Atlanta, where the Dodgers will face Braves ace Chris Sale. Ohtani's history against Sale is less than stellar: in 16 plate appearances, he is 3-for-15 (.200) with just one extra-base hit (a double) and five strikeouts.
Key Analysis
Rather than relying on the hope that Ohtani will suddenly revert to his MVP form, the Dodgers might consider a bold move: benching him in favor of rookie Josue De Paula. De Paula got his first postseason at-bat in Game 2, pinch-hitting for Tommy Edman with two outs in the bottom of the ninth and the Dodgers trailing 3-2. He fouled out to end the game, but there are compelling reasons to give him more opportunities. Since making his MLB debut on September 11, De Paula went 10-for-31 (.323) with three doubles, a triple, and a home run during the regular season. Manager Dave Roberts praised him last week, saying, "He's just a special hitter. (His skill set) lines up in the postseason. And no moment is going to be too big for that kid."
Ohtani's recent form has been underwhelming. Knee soreness and bicep inflammation sidelined him for 15 days in September, and he returned on September 23 with only five regular-season games to regain his rhythm. However, his bat has yet to show its usual explosiveness. Over those final five games, he hit 5-for-21 (.238) with one double and eight strikeouts. In the first two playoff games, he has gone 2-for-8 with two singles and two strikeouts. When asked about Ohtani's physical condition after Game 2, Roberts told reporters, "I haven't heard anything other than he feels fine." Yet the visual evidence of Ohtani's at-bats casts doubt on that assessment.
Originally reported by usatoday.