After moving Shohei Ohtani down in their batting order during his injury-hampered slump this postseason, the Dodgers reversed course with their season on the line in Game 4 of the National League Championship Series.
For the first time this October, Ohtani returned to his customary leadoff spot in the lineup.
The move comes with the Dodgers facing a three-games-to-none deficit against the Milwaukee Brewers –– and in spite of Ohtani’s .182 batting average (4-for-22) in these playoffs, in which he has also failed to record an extra-base hit or an RBI.
Previously, those struggles saw him drop to the two-hole, then the Nos. 4, 5 and 6 spots in the previous four games.
But now, he will spearhead their offense once again, with the Dodgers elect to ride-or-die with the four-time MVP at the top of their lineup.
Here is the Dodgers’ full lineup for Game 4:
1. Shohei Ohtani, DH
2. Mookie Betts, SS
3. Freddie Freeman, 1B
4. Will Smith, C
5. Kyle Tucker, RF
6. Teoscar Hernández, LF
7. Miguel Rojas, 2B
8. Andy Pages, CF
9. Kiké Hernández, 3B
SP: Tyler Glasnow
