Dodgers shuffle Ohtani and Smith with NLCS deficit at 2-0

The Dodgers are changing the order of their struggling lineup before their first home game of this NLCS. Shohei Ohtani is sixth and Will Smith seventh against Robert Gasser on Wednesday, with Blake Snell starting as Los Angeles tries to reduce Milwaukee’s 2-0 lead.

MLB’s updated Game 3 report, by Sonja Chen, Adam McCalvy and AJ Cassavell, confirms the batting-order change. Andy Pages is fifth, ahead of Ohtani, and catcher Will Smith is seventh. The Dodgers discussed sitting Ohtani before keeping him in the lineup, the report says.

The matchup features two left-handed starters. Snell allowed one run but walked five batters in 3 2/3 innings against Atlanta in his first start of this postseason. Gasser has finished strongly for Milwaukee after beginning the season at Triple-A Nashville.

ESPN’s Wednesday lineup report independently lists the same starters and starting nines. Milwaukee has Andrew Vaughn at designated hitter and Luis Lara in right field against Snell, with Christian Yelich and Sal Frelick outside the starting lineup.

The series’ move west gives the Dodgers a chance to recover at home. A win would cut Milwaukee’s lead to 2-1; another loss would leave Los Angeles down 3-0 in the best-of-seven series.

Both bullpens benefited from Tuesday’s off-day. MLB reported that Los Angeles used seven of its nine relievers in Game 2 after Yoshinobu Yamamoto’s short start. Milwaukee’s relief group has allowed one earned run in 28 2/3 innings across this postseason, a 0.31 ERA.

The October 14 game airs on FS1, FOX Deportes and FOX One, according to MLB. The confirmed lineup gives the Dodgers’ struggling bats a different order behind Snell as the series resumes.

Sources

• MLB’s Game 3 lineups and matchup report
• ESPN’s Game 3 lineup coverage

Sources

MLB: NLCS Game3 lineups and matchup · ESPN: NLCS Game3 confirmed lineups