Dodgers could bench slumping Shohei Ohtani for most important game of the season: report
- Shohei Ohtani is hitting a god-awful .150 this postseason with zero extra-base hits; his last homer was back on August 18.
- Manager Dave Roberts openly admits he's considering a bench for Game 3 of the NLCS against Milwaukee after two losses.
- Ohtani’s bat has gone quiet since mid-August (.157, 1 RBI, 35% strikeout rate) and he’s resorted to bunting — yes, bunting — to get on base.
- The Dodgers are down 0-2 in the series and have scored a pathetic five runs in two games, making a shakeup feel inevitable.
- A benching would be an unmitigated earthquake for baseball, given Ohtani’s $700 million contract and four MVP trophies.
Brief Summary
The Los Angeles Dodgers are on the brink of playoff extinction, and their $700 million man is doing his best impression of a wet paper towel. Shohei Ohtani, the four-time MVP who once terrorized pitchers, is hitting an anemic .150 this October with no pop whatsoever, and manager Dave Roberts is reportedly mulling the unthinkable: benching him for Game 3 of the NLCS. After dropping two straight to the Brewers in Milwaukee, Roberts told The Athletic he needs a heart-to-heart with Ohtani to figure out 'what's best for him, what's best for us' — which is manager-speak for 'I might sit the greatest player alive.'
Ohtani hasn't homered since August 18 and has been a ghost since, hitting .157 with a single RBI and striking out at a clownish 35% clip. He's even resorted to bunting, which is like a Ferrari driving in the carpool lane. Roberts already dropped him to fifth in the order against Atlanta, and now a full bench seems like the desperate final move of a skipper watching his season implode. With the Dodgers managing just five runs in two losses, the math is simple: something has to change, even if it means benching a living legend.
Why This Matters
Let’s be real: if you’re a Dodgers fan, this is the baseball equivalent of waking up to find your car on cinder blocks. Ohtani’s slump isn't just a footnote — it's the entire plot of this postseason. His absence from the lineup would be a white-flag admission that the best player on the planet is broken at the worst possible time. And if you're a neutral viewer, this is must-see train-wreck television; nothing says 'October drama' like a manager benching a guy who eats millionaires for breakfast.
Zoom out, and this is a wrecking ball to the Dodgers' championship hopes and a stark reminder that money and talent don't guarantee playoff success. Ohtani’s health — both knee and biceps — is clearly compromised, and Roberts may be prioritizing the team over the brand. If Shohei sits and the Dodgers lose, it’s a historic disaster. If he sits and they win, it’s genius. Either way, the pressure is dialed to eleven, and the baseball world is about to see if the best hitter on the planet can handle a seat on the bench with dignity.