Shohei Ohtani's Struggles Cloud Dodgers' NLDS Performance

The Los Angeles Dodgers are facing mounting concerns over Shohei Ohtani's offensive production in the National League Division Series against the Atlanta Braves. While other Dodgers hitters have struggled to find consistency, Ohtani's performance, marked by a noticeable dip in effectiveness, has become a significant point of focus.

Ohtani’s initial appearance at the plate in Game 1 saw a promising line drive for a single. However, his subsequent at-bats have not matched that early success. Manager Dave Roberts acknowledged the situation, stating, "I haven’t heard anything other than he feels fine." Yet, he also commented, "I don’t know if he’s trying to do too much because he doesn’t feel perfect," hinting at underlying issues possibly related to his ongoing right arm and left knee injuries.

While players like Will Smith, Andy Pages, and Tommy Edman are also struggling with their offensive numbers, the expectation for a player of Ohtani's caliber is higher. The off-week following the regular season, intended to help the two-way star, has not yet yielded his typical dominant performance. In Game 2, Ohtani went hitless, striking out on an inside fastball and later popping out with runners on base. His only hit in the series so far was a fifth-inning single where he appeared to be attempting to hit the ball the opposite way, reminiscent of Ichiro Suzuki's style.

The Atlanta Braves have not shied away from challenging Ohtani, throwing him fastballs in the middle of the strike zone. He has struggled to capitalize on these pitches, managing only one hit from them and often chasing pitches outside the zone when attempts to end his at-bats fail.

Despite these offensive challenges, Roberts confirmed Ohtani would remain in the lineup for Game 3, emphasizing the team's need to "take good at-bats and expect the best."

In contrast to Ohtani's struggles, Freddie Freeman has shown signs of improvement. After a regular season stretch where he hit only one home run in his final 66 games and a slump in September, the bye week appeared to benefit him. Freeman recorded two hits in Game 2, including a solo home run. "I feel good, so I think we can be done with those questions," Freeman stated, referring to his swing and knee injury. "Just more consistently getting myself in a good spot, being able to put good swings on it."

Another positive development has come from pitcher Edwin Díaz. After experiencing dips in his fastball velocity earlier in the season, Díaz showcased a season-high 100.8 mph during a scoreless appearance in the sixth inning of Game 2. This outing extended his scoreless streak to six innings since his return from his second injured list stint on September 18. "Edwin was great," Roberts said. "I think if you look at tonight, try to find some silver linings, that was a silver lining and certainly a positive."

A critical statistic for the Dodgers in Game 2 was their inability to hit with runners in scoring position, going 0-for-X in those situations and failing to score runs except via home runs. This lack of situational hitting has become a concern, especially as it contrasts with their regular-season performance where they ranked high in batting average and OPS with runners in scoring position.

"Got to find a way to score some runs without hitting a home run," Freeman commented. "I think that’s our biggest thing right now."

Looking ahead to Game 3, outfielder Teoscar Hernández acknowledged the team's past playoff experience as potentially valuable. "We’ve been in tougher spots than this one," Hernández said. "It’s a 1–1 series. We know they’re going to have the best pitcher that they have, starting pitcher, in [Game 3 with Chris] Sale. But we’re just gonna try to be ready and just go with the best plan and just try to execute it."