Shohei Ohtani [Yonhap]
Shohei Ohtani [Yonhap]

Los Angeles Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani, who has appeared mired in a recent slump, will bat sixth as designated hitter Thursday.

The Dodgers announced their starting lineup for Game 3 of the National League Championship Series against the Milwaukee Brewers at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, slotting Ohtani sixth in the order.

It is the first time Ohtani has started as the No. 6 hitter since 2020, when he played for the Los Angeles Angels — a gap of six years.

Ohtani had been the Dodgers' fixture at the top of the lineup throughout the regular season, making his slide down the order all the more notable.

Ohtani has been struggling at the plate of late. He is batting .197 over his last 35 games, spanning the regular season and postseason. He has gone 110 plate appearances without a homer since facing the Colorado Rockies on Aug. 19 — the longest such streak of his career.

In this year's postseason, he has managed just three hits in 20 at-bats for a .150 average.

Manager Dave Roberts described the lineup adjustment as "a decision to balance the whole batting order" and said Ohtani had agreed to the change. During a meeting with Roberts on Wednesday, Ohtani reportedly expressed his determination to "play and contribute to the team."

Roberts reaffirms faith in four-time MVP Ohtani

Shohei Ohtani [Yonhap]
Shohei Ohtani [Yonhap]

Ohtani was a key contributor to the Dodgers' back-to-back World Series championships.

This year, however, he has been hampered by recurring injuries and has recently appeared to fall into a prolonged slump.

Ohtani was placed on the injured list on Sept. 12 with pain in his right bicep and left knee, and entered the postseason having played just five games after returning.

Before the lineup was announced, outlets including MLB.com and ESPN had reported that the Dodgers were weighing whether to leave Ohtani off the starting roster entirely.

Roberts, however, said Wednesday that he would play Ohtani in Game 3 of the NLCS.

"Ohtani, a four-time MVP, is in a condition where there is no problem with him playing," Roberts said, reaffirming his confidence in the slugger.


yul@heraldcorp.com