Dodgers shake up NLCS lineup, restoring Shohei Ohtani to leadoff with season on the line

LOS ANGELES (AP) — One loss from elimination, the Los Angeles Dodgers restored Shohei Ohtani to the top of the batting order for Game 4 of the National League Championship Series on Thursday night.

The Dodgers trailed the Milwaukee Brewers 3-0 in the best-of-seven series, and needed to four straight wins to reach the World Series and keep alive their bid for a third consecutive championship.

Ohtani batted sixth in a 6-2 loss on Wednesday night, the lowest he's hit since joining the Dodgers ahead of the 2024 season. He was 1 for 2 with a walk to raise his batting average to .182.

“Just seeing the work the last couple days, I like where his head is at,” manager Dave Roberts said before the game. “I liked the at-bats yesterday. Obviously we haven’t performed the way that we’re capable of, so to kind of shake it up a little bit but something that’s of somewhat normalcy that our guys are used to.”

Ohtani typically leads off the order but has been dropped lower while struggling with injuries to his left knee and right biceps for the last few months. Roberts didn't tell Ohtani about the change before posting the lineup.

Roberts said Ohtani has given him reasons to believe in the four-time MVP, citing Ohtani staying until 9 p.m. on Tuesday to work on his swing and his improved at-bat quality.

“Baking all that in, I felt absolutely, put him at the top,” he said. “I feel good about him taking five at-bats and giving us our best chance to win and produce runs.”

Roberts tweaked the entire lineup after Wednesday's loss put the Dodgers on the brink of elimination. Mookie Betts, who led off in Game 3, was bumped to No. 2, while Freddie Freeman moved to No. 3.

Will Smith, whose offensive struggles mirrored Ohtani's, moved up to fourth from seventh. Smith doubled in the sixth inning, when the Dodgers briefly took a 2-1 lead.

“I thought Will took very good at-bats, big hit yesterday,” Roberts said. “He’s been in big spots.”

Kyle Tucker hit fifth, while Teoscar Hernández went from third to sixth. Miguel Rojas hit seventh and Andy Pages dropped to eighth from fifth.

Kiké Hernández, who came off the bench in Game 3, hit ninth, with regular third baseman Max Muncy available to come off the bench for Rojas or Kiké Hernández.

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