Shohei Ohtani and the Dodgers’ 2026 exit
Shohei Ohtani and the Los Angeles Dodgers lost the National League Championship Series on October 15, 2026. Milwaukee completed a four-game sweep by winning 6-4 at Dodger Stadium in California.
Los Angeles entered the postseason seeking a third consecutive World Series title after championships in 2024 and 2025. The team defeated Atlanta 3-1 in the Division Series before facing Milwaukee.
Shohei Ohtani set historic hitting marks
In 2024, Shohei Ohtani hit 54 home runs and stole 59 bases for Los Angeles. He became MLB’s first player to reach 50 homers and 50 steals in one season.
Ohtani followed with a Dodgers record 55 homers in 2025. During the championship series against Milwaukee, he hit three in Game 4 while recording 10 strikeouts across six scoreless innings.
Ohtani also strengthened the pitching staff
Shohei Ohtani made 14 pitching starts for the Dodgers in 2026, finishing with an 8-2 record and a 1.79 earned run average. He served as the designated hitter between starts.
He recorded 95 strikeouts and issued 26 walks across 85 2/3 innings. His final pitching start came July 3, leaving Los Angeles without his mound contributions during the October series.
Ohtani’s knee trouble emerged in June
Ohtani exited a June 11 game against Pittsburgh because of inflammation in his left knee. Imaging revealed no structural damage, and he missed the next game against the White Sox.
The initial absence lasted only one game, but knee discomfort continued affecting his pitching plans. Los Angeles canceled his July 10 start and paused his progression toward additional mound appearances.
Dodgers initially kept Ohtani batting
Manager Dave Roberts said in July that swinging and running the bases did not aggravate Ohtani’s knee like pitching did. The Dodgers used him as their designated hitter during recovery.
On July 28, Ohtani hit his 10th leadoff homer of 2026 off Seattle pitcher Luis Castillo. That homer came on a slider while Los Angeles monitored his return to pitching.
Ohtani’s results against fastballs dropped
Through August 18, Ohtani batted .280 against pitches traveling at least 95 mph. From August 19 through the first two NLCS games, his average against that velocity fell to .036.
His slugging percentage against those pitches declined from .441 to .071 in that comparison. Fastballs averaged 96.2 mph in October, making struggles against high velocity particularly relevant to postseason hitting.
Dodgers rested Ohtani late in September
Los Angeles placed Ohtani on the 15-day injured list September 11 because of left knee and right biceps problems. He had already missed six of the last seven starting lineups.
Ohtani returned September 23, leaving five regular-season games to prepare for October. Before the break, he recorded 19 hits in 96 at-bats and 34 strikeouts across his previous 24 games.
Ohtani’s swing timing weakened in October
Ohtani struck out in 39% of September plate appearances, the second-highest monthly rate of his career. His postseason swings showed late contact, even without a corresponding decline in bat speed.
Hitting coach Aaron Bates discussed difficulties adjusting to pitch speeds and starting the swing on time. Tracking measurements showed Ohtani making contact deeper in the zone than during earlier months.
Dodgers shifted Ohtani down the order
Before Wednesday’s Game 3, Ohtani was batting .150 with a .261 on-base percentage and .150 slugging mark across six games. Los Angeles responded by changing his place in the order.
Roberts moved Ohtani into the sixth position for October 14. Teoscar Hernández hit third, Kyle Tucker fourth and Andy Pages fifth, placing three teammates ahead of the former leadoff hitter.
Ohtani reached base in the third game
Ohtani reached base three times with a single, a walk and a pitch that struck him. None of those appearances produced an extra-base hit, while Los Angeles managed five hits.
Milwaukee starter Robert Gasser worked five innings, allowing three hits and recording three strikeouts. Will Smith provided both Los Angeles runs with a double in the sixth against the bullpen.
Fun fact: Shohei Ohtani spent three weeks training his dog, Decoy, to deliver a ceremonial first pitch. The dog carried the baseball in its mouth.
Brewers’ homers turned Game 3
Jackson Chourio homered on Blake Snell’s opening 97.6 mph fastball in Game 3. Milwaukee’s Jake Bauers later hit a two-run homer after a lengthy 11-pitch at-bat in the seventh inning.
Garrett Mitchell followed Bauers with another home run against Blake Snell, putting Milwaukee ahead 4-2. The Brewers added insurance runs in the eighth and ninth to complete a 6-2 victory.
Ohtani homered during the Dodgers’ finale
On October 15, Ohtani ended a 115-plate-appearance home run drought with a three-run drive against Dustin May. His 428-foot homer in the second inning gave Los Angeles a 4-0 lead.
Ohtani finished Game 4 with three strikeouts across four at-bats. Aaron Ashby retired him with the tying run on third in the seventh, and Milwaukee completed a 6-4 comeback victory.
Which five MLB teams are most overdue for new stadiums, and what is keeping them in their current ballparks? Explore the teams facing questions about aging facilities and plans for the future.
Earlier rest remains an open question
The Dodgers went 5-for-43 with runners in scoring position during the NLCS. Their starting pitchers allowed 13 earned runs in 18 innings, giving the rotation a 6.50 ERA against Milwaukee.
Milwaukee won 103 regular-season games, and Aaron Ashby pitched three scoreless innings in Game 4. Those results alone cannot establish whether resting Ohtani sooner would have changed the championship series.
What did Aaron Judge tell his teammates after the Yankees’ playoff exit? Explore how Jazz Chisholm Jr. revealed the captain’s message following their postseason loss.
Do you think the Dodgers should have rested Shohei Ohtani earlier, or would Milwaukee have won the series anyway? If you have an opinion, share your thoughts in the comments below!
This slideshow was made with AI assistance and human editing.
Read More From This Brand:
