The Dodgers went 1-for-6 with runners in scoring position in Game 1, a lineup-wide collapse that extends far beyond Shohei Ohtani. After a disappointing NLCS Game 1 loss to the Milwaukee Brewers, the Dodgers have a much bigger offensive concern to address.
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With Ohtani hitting just .179 over his last seven games, the spotlight has naturally fallen on Dave Roberts’ decision to shuffle his superstar’s place in the batting order. But one player’s slump cannot be the biggest threat to the defending champions.
In Game 1, only six Dodgers recorded hits, a lineup-wide collapse that extends far beyond Ohtani. Against a Brewers pitching staff capable of exploiting every weakness, the margin for error is shrinking, and as the debate over Ohtani’s position intensifies, David Ortiz has a bigger warning:
Unless the rest of the lineup steps up, the Dodgers could find themselves in serious trouble in the NLCS.
“The Dodgers are in some serious trouble. This is the first time during the playoffs that I feel that way about the Dodgers, and it’s because they all are struggling at the same time. I don’t think I’ve ever seen anything like this before. The Dodgers have a lineup that you don’t know where the punch is going to come from. But at this moment, you feel like nobody is executing properly,” Ortiz said via FOX Sports.
“Everybody is focusing on Ohtani, but they have nine guys. They have three MVPs in the lineup. They have guys that have put up a good number throughout the season, and I mean everybody is very cold.”
The Dodgers squandered golden opportunities in Game 1.
1-for-6 with runners in scoring position, nine runners stranded. This continued a frustrating trend for the Dodgers, dropping their total postseason average with RISP to a paltry 2-for-22.
Moreover, every time Los Angeles threatened to build an inning, groundouts stalled their momentum.
In Game 1, they grounded into three double plays. The most damaging one came in the fifth inning.
Brewers reliever DL Hall entered the game with a runner on and forced Freddie Freeman into an immediate double play, completely deflating a potential Los Angeles rally.
Ohtani helped score the Dodgers’ only run in Game 1, the very player Ortiz says shouldn’t be the focus. That irony underscores the lineup’s broader collapse, and that’s what should make the team more concerned.
The Dodgers faced the same Brewers in the 2025 NLCS, sweeping them 4-0. They batted .250 while Ohtani had a .357 average. Fast forward to the present, the Dodgers are yet to make their mark.
They entered Game 2 with a 1-0 deficit and are currently trailing 3-4 by the top of the 5th in Game 2 after trailing 3-2 till the bottom of the 3rd.
If this continues, the Brewers have their perfect revenge set against the Dodgers.