ATLANTA — Shohei Ohtani will bat fifth Tuesday night as the Dodgers reshuffle their lineup for Chris Sale and a tied National League Division Series at Truist Park. It is a rare spot for Ohtani: he had not opened a game that low in the batting order since Sept. 23, 2020, during his time with the Angels.
The result
There is no box score yet, but the Dodgers are treating Game 3 with the urgency of a series that stands even at one game apiece. The club moved several right-handed bats into prominent spots against the left-handed Sale, while manager Dave Roberts also made defensive changes around the infield.
Mookie Betts leads off at shortstop, followed by Freddie Freeman and Teoscar Hernández. Will Smith bats cleanup, with Ohtani serving as the designated hitter behind him. Miguel Rojas gets the start at second base in place of Tommy Edman, while Kiké Hernández takes third base over Max Muncy.
| Spot | Dodgers hitter | Position |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mookie Betts | SS |
| 2 | Freddie Freeman | 1B |
| 3 | Teoscar Hernández | LF |
| 4 | Will Smith | C |
| 5 | Shohei Ohtani | DH |
| 6 | Miguel Rojas | 2B |
| 7 | Andy Pages | CF |
| 8 | Kyle Tucker | RF |
| 9 | Kiké Hernández | 3B |
Ohtani is 2-for-8 through the first two games of the Division Series and has been expanding the strike zone. He swung at nine of 20 pitches outside the zone, a 42.9 percent chase rate compared with 30 percent during the regular season.
Part of that may trace back to an uneven September. Ohtani played only eight games that month while on the injured list, managing lingering right biceps and left knee issues. The Dodgers still expect disciplined, productive trips to the plate from him, even if his timing has not yet settled into its usual place.
Roberts said Ohtani knows what happens when a hitter goes outside the zone too often. The manager also saw an understandable urge to make something happen rather than letting the at-bat come to him.
The rotation next
Yoshinobu Yamamoto takes the ball for Los Angeles against Sale in a rematch of their Aug. 27 regular-season meeting. Yamamoto gave up a leadoff home run that night, then kept Atlanta off the board over 6 1/3 innings. Sale was better still, firing a complete-game shutout on 109 pitches.
This one carries a heavier October edge. Tuesday’s first pitch is scheduled for 6 p.m. ET, with FS1, FOX Deportes and FOX One carrying the game. The club that loses will head into Wednesday’s Game 4 facing elimination.
