Dodgers Weigh Ohtani's Health Before NLCS Game 3 as Brewers Lead 2-0

Dodgers Decide Ohtani's Game 3 Status After a 2-0 NLCS Hole

The Dodgers plan to gauge whether Shohei Ohtani's lingering injuries warrant sitting out Game 3 of the NLCS, but will keep playing him if he judges himself healthy, a source told ESPN. Ohtani went 0-for-4 with two strikeouts in Monday's 7-4 loss to Milwaukee, which put Los Angeles down 2-0.

ESPN reports Ohtani has three hits in 20 postseason at-bats, has not homered since August 18, and is slashing .156/.283/.200 over the past eight weeks, a stretch that included time on the injured list. Teammate Mookie Betts said of the slump, "We need him for sure." The problem is wider than one bat: the Dodgers are 2-for-26 with runners in scoring position this postseason, and Milwaukee relievers retired 15 straight in Game 2. ESPN also notes 36 of the past 38 teams down 2-0 in a best-of-seven were eliminated.

Brewers vs. Dodgers Game 3 Odds: What the Market Did

Los Angeles is a home favorite despite the series deficit. DraftKings lists the Dodgers at -179 on the moneyline, per ESPN's odds feed as of October 13 at 9:10 AM ET.

The feed does not say why a line moved, so the rest of this piece is our reading and not a reported cause.

Our Read: What the Price Says About Ohtani and the Series

• The market is pricing the roster, not the slump. A series deficit does not change who starts Game 3, and the Dodgers moved slightly shorter at home. That is consistent with the market treating two losses as small-sample noise, though the feed gives no reason.
• Ohtani's decision is a health question first. The reported plan leaves the call to him, which means the lineup card may stay unknown until close to first pitch.
• The offense issue is mostly situational. A 2-for-26 mark with runners in scoring position is partly luck and tends to regress, but Milwaukee's bullpen has also allowed only five of 33 batters to reach in the two games.
• The historical odds are a caution, not a verdict. Thirty-six of 38 is a heavy base rate, yet it describes all teams and not a club with this much talent.

We think the story is less whether Ohtani plays and more whether the Dodgers can create any late-inning traffic against that bullpen.

What to Watch in NLCS Game 3

• The Dodgers lineup card and whether Ohtani is in it.
• Whether Los Angeles gets runners in scoring position against the Brewers' relievers.
• How early Roberts goes to his bullpen after Yoshinobu Yamamoto's short Game 2 start.
• Any late move in the run line price or the 7.5 total.

Read how sportsbooks price series and live markets

Odds describe a price and not an outcome. Set a limit before you bet, and bet only where it is legal.