The Dodgers carry a few October questions into Sunday’s NLCS opener, and none is larger than what Shohei Ohtani can provide at the plate. The club considers Ohtani healthy enough to remain in the lineup, even as his recent swings have lacked their usual force and selectivity. For Los Angeles, the concern is less about his physical condition than whether he can stop giving away at-bats on pitches outside the zone.
Game 1 of the National League Championship Series is scheduled for Sunday at 8 p.m. ET, 7 p.m. CT and 5 p.m. PT, with FOX, FOX Deportes and FOX One carrying the broadcast.
Ohtani remains in the middle of the conversation
Ohtani showed some small signs of progress over the final two games of the NLDS, though the chase swings did not disappear. His current stretch has been among his roughest at the plate, but October is not usually a place to write off a hitter with his history of sudden, game-changing bursts.
Opponents still recognize the damage Ohtani can do. The Braves, at minimum, continued to pitch carefully around him in the postseason, respecting the possibility that one mistake could change a game. The more immediate path to production may be simpler than waiting for the long ball: take the walks that come his way, reach base and force pressure onto the defense.
The Dodgers have not recently seen the kind of slugging Ohtani routinely produces at his best, and there is no guarantee it arrives during this postseason. Still, a more disciplined version of him can matter plenty in a lineup built to turn baserunners into rallies.
Rojas’ status could shape the bench
- After Game 4 of the NLDS, Miguel Rojas was still dealing with notable soreness and discomfort.
- Rojas believed he could be available during the NLCS, although that did not necessarily mean he would be ready for the opening game.
- If Milwaukee starts Jacob Misiorowski and Logan Henderson in the first two games, Rojas might not have been penciled into either starting lineup regardless of the injury question.
- The roster issue comes if Rojas is healthy enough to be carried but not available to start immediately. Los Angeles must decide how much infield protection it needs behind him.
The Dodgers could opt for a 13th pitcher in the NLCS. That choice could squeeze either Hyeseong Kim or Josue De Paula off the bench. Kim’s value rises if the club believes it needs another infield option while Rojas is limited, though Tommy Edman and Kiké Hernández give the Dodgers other capable coverage around the diamond.
Leadership without a captain’s patch
Freddie Freeman has been described as a captain within the Dodgers’ room, but the title is informal. Los Angeles does not have an official captain in the traditional sense, with no player wearing a “C” designation.
Freeman is plainly part of the club’s leadership core, though it would be difficult to single out one man from a veteran group that also includes Mookie Betts, Rojas, Max Muncy and Hernández. The Dodgers have not formally named a captain in decades; Davey Lopes was the last official holder of that role, serving in 1978 and 1979.
Rortvedt is part of the October support crew
Ben Rortvedt, known around the club as “Benny Biceps,” has been traveling with the postseason group as part of what Rojas called the “rally team.” He is among several inactive players functioning as a taxi-squad reserve while also helping maintain energy in the dugout.
There is a practical baseball reason for Rortvedt’s presence. He would be the Dodgers’ third catcher if Will Smith or Hunter Feduccia became unavailable. Dalton Rushing, meanwhile, is currently limited to hitting duties. In October, that kind of insurance rarely draws attention until a club suddenly needs it.
