Dave Roberts kept his superstar in the game, but moved him down the order in a series the Dodgers could not afford to lose.
Shohei Ohtani stayed in the Los Angeles Dodgers' starting lineup for National League Championship Series Game 3 against the Milwaukee Brewers on Wednesday, Oct. 14, 2026, but manager Dave Roberts dropped him to sixth, his lowest batting spot since 2020, as Los Angeles trailed the series two games to none.
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Shohei Ohtani NLCS Game 3 lineup decision comes after rough Game 2
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The Dodgers walked into Game 3 facing real pressure. Milwaukee had already taken the first two games of the best-of-seven series, including a 7-4 win on Monday, Oct. 12, where Ohtani went 0-for-4 and struck out twice. That performance pushed his postseason batting average down to .150, a steep drop for a player who hit .275 with 30 home runs and 81 RBIs during the regular season.
Inside the Dodgers organization, people started talking about whether Ohtani should even be in the lineup at all. Roberts didn't hide that the conversation happened. But he also made clear early on that benching his two-way star wasn't the direction he wanted to go, even with the slump dragging into a third straight game.
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Dave Roberts explains the thinking behind batting Ohtani sixth
On Tuesday, Oct. 13, Roberts told reporters Ohtani would definitely play in Game 3, though he wasn't ready to lock in the exact spot. He said Ohtani could hit anywhere from second to sixth against Brewers left-hander Robert Gasser, leaving fans and reporters guessing until the official lineup dropped.
When the lineup came out, Ohtani was listed sixth, right behind Andy Pages and ahead of catcher Will Smith. Roberts said the move wasn't really about punishing Ohtani for his slump. Instead, he wanted to mix left-handed and right-handed hitters throughout the order to counter Gasser's left-handed delivery. "Shohei's all on board," Roberts said after the lineup was finalized, adding, "Whatever it takes to win."
Roberts also described Ohtani as "convicted" and "adamant" that he was close to breaking out of his funk. Those words painted a picture of a player who believed in himself even as the results weren't showing up on the scoreboard. A source told ESPN that Ohtani would stay in the lineup as long as he felt healthy enough to compete, suggesting this wasn't a move forced on him against his will.
Full Dodgers lineup shows a reshuffled batting order
The finalized Game 3 order had Mookie Betts leading off at shortstop, followed by Freddie Freeman at first base and Teoscar Hernández in left field. Kyle Tucker batted cleanup in right field, with Andy Pages fifth in center field. Ohtani followed at sixth as designated hitter, then Will Smith at catcher in the seventh spot, a swap from his usual sixth-place role. Miguel Rojas at third base and Tommy Edman at second base rounded out the bottom of the order.
Blake Snell took the mound for Los Angeles, squaring off against Gasser for Milwaukee. The game was set for 8 p.m. Eastern, 7 p.m. Central and 5 p.m. Pacific, broadcast on FS1, FOX Deportes and FOX One. MLB's own preview noted that Ohtani hadn't batted sixth or lower in a Dodgers game since 2020, underlining just how unusual this moment was for a player normally anchored near the top or heart of the order.
Ohtani's late-season journey adds context to the slump
This wasn't the first lineup shuffle Ohtani had gone through recently. He came off the injured list on Sept. 23 and briefly shared leadoff duties with Betts during the final stretch of the regular season. Once the playoffs started, Roberts moved him back into the middle of the order, beginning with Game 3 of the NL Division Series against Atlanta.
Through the first two NLCS games, Ohtani stayed locked into the fourth spot despite his struggles at the plate. It was only after the second straight loss, and the growing gap between his regular-season numbers and his October performance, that Roberts decided a change was needed. The adjustment reflected both the slump and simple matchup strategy against a left-handed starter, rather than one single cause.
What the Dodgers need next as the series hangs in the balance
Going into Game 3, the stakes couldn't have been higher. A loss would have put Los Angeles down 3-0, a nearly impossible hole in a best-of-seven series. Roberts needed his lineup, including Ohtani, to start producing runs immediately rather than waiting for things to turn around on their own.
Roberts gave no indication that Ohtani's sixth-place slot was permanent. He had already said before the lineup was announced that Ohtani could hit anywhere from second to sixth, meaning future games could easily see him moved again depending on matchups, health and how he responds at the plate. For now, the Dodgers are leaning on patience, lineup tweaks and Ohtani's own confidence that his bat is about to wake up at the exact moment they need it most.
