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The Dodgers moved Shohei Ohtani from the top of the order to No. 5 for NLDS Game 3 against the Braves, with left-hander Chris Sale starting for Atlanta. Manager Dave Roberts said the change was intended to improve the matchup and was not a loss of confidence in Ohtani. Los Angeles and Atlanta entered the game tied 1-1.
The Los Angeles Dodgers moved Shohei Ohtani to No. 5 in the batting order for NLDS Game 3 against the Atlanta Braves, a notable adjustment for the star as he tries to find his timing against left-hander Chris Sale. Manager Dave Roberts said the lineup change was designed to improve the matchup in a game the teams entered tied 1-1.
Ohtani had hit near the top of the Dodgers’ order, but Roberts placed him fifth for the pivotal game in Atlanta. ESPN reported it was the lowest Ohtani had batted in a lineup since Sept. 23, 2020. The move also spread Los Angeles’ left-handed hitters through the order: Freddie Freeman was placed second, while Kyle Tucker was eighth.
Roberts said the decision reflected the challenge of facing Sale and the possibility that runs would be scarce. Ohtani was 3-for-15 with five strikeouts in his career against Sale, according to the report. Roberts said he wanted hitters near the top who he believed could reach base, while giving Ohtani a chance to bat in situations shaped by how the game developed.
Ohtani had two hits and two strikeouts in eight at-bats across the first two games of the series. He hit .275 with 30 home runs and 81 RBIs during the regular season. His first two NLDS games followed a late-season return from a two-week injured-list stay for lingering right biceps and left knee issues. In the final five regular-season games, he went 5-for-21 with one extra-base hit, eight strikeouts and one walk.
A Matchup-Driven Change Against Sale
The decision puts a spotlight on how the Dodgers are balancing Ohtani’s place in the lineup with the immediate demands of a short postseason series. Batting fifth changes the order in which he is likely to come up and places him behind hitters Roberts believes can get on base. It may also give Los Angeles a different way to deploy its left-handed bats against Sale, who can make at-bats difficult for hitters from that side.
For the Dodgers, the stakes are practical: with the series level, Game 3 offered a chance to take the lead, and Roberts said he was choosing the lineup he thought gave his team the best chance that day. The move does not, on its own, establish that Ohtani’s injuries are affecting him now or that his role has changed beyond this matchup. Roberts characterized it as a game-specific choice, not a verdict on the player.
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Ohtani’s Return and Recent Results
Ohtani missed time near the end of the regular season while dealing with a right biceps issue and a left knee issue. After returning, he played the Dodgers’ final five regular-season games before opening the NLDS with two hits in eight at-bats. Roberts said Ohtani had been chasing pitches and would continue to see pitches outside the strike zone until he showed more restraint.
Ohtani was not the only prominent hitter struggling early in the series. Atlanta star Ronald Acuña Jr. was 3-for-18 in the postseason, including 2-for-9 in the first two games against Los Angeles, with no home runs. Braves manager Walt Weiss kept Acuña in the No. 2 spot but moved him from right field to designated hitter in a late lineup change, inserting Lane Thomas in right.
Weiss described slumps as part of the season’s ups and downs and said Acuña could change a game with one swing. The comparison shows that the clubs responded differently to early results: Roberts shifted Ohtani in the order, while Weiss retained Acuña’s spot and changed his defensive assignment.
Whether the Order Change Continues
Roberts said he did not expect Ohtani to bat fifth in Game 4, scheduled against Braves right-hander Tyler Mahle. That was his stated expectation before Game 3; the Dodgers had not yet announced the next game’s lineup in the report. It also remained unclear whether Ohtani’s recent results reflected lingering effects from his injuries, a temporary timing issue, or both.
The lineup adjustment does not establish a new long-term role for Ohtani. His performance in Game 3, the matchup in the next game and any further health developments could affect subsequent decisions. The report did not identify a new injury or say that Ohtani was unable to play.
Game 3 and the Game 4 Lineup
Game 3 put the Dodgers’ adjustment to its first test against Sale, with Yoshinobu Yamamoto starting for Los Angeles. The clubs entered the game tied at one win apiece, making the result a chance for either side to take the series lead. Roberts said the Dodgers expected runs to be difficult to find and had arranged the lineup with that matchup in mind.
After Game 3, attention will turn to the result and the Dodgers’ next lineup decision. Roberts indicated that Ohtani was unlikely to remain fifth against Game 4 starter Tyler Mahle, a right-hander. Any final lineup for that game, and whether Ohtani’s health or at-bats prompt another adjustment, were not confirmed in the report.
Key Questions
Why did the Dodgers move Ohtani to fifth?
Manager Dave Roberts said the change was aimed at countering left-hander Chris Sale and spreading the Dodgers’ left-handed hitters through the lineup. He said the top of the order had hitters he believed could reach base.
How had Ohtani performed in the first two NLDS games?
Ohtani had two hits and two strikeouts in eight at-bats across the first two games, according to the report.
Was Ohtani’s lineup move linked to a new injury?
The report did not identify a new injury. Ohtani had recently returned from a two-week injured-list stint involving lingering right biceps and left knee issues, but Roberts described the lineup change as a matchup decision.
Will Ohtani stay in the No. 5 spot for Game 4?
Roberts said he did not expect Ohtani to hit fifth in Game 4 against right-hander Tyler Mahle. The team’s final lineup for that game was not confirmed in the report.
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