Dodgers adamant Shohei Ohtani is going to click. But can they win World Series if he doesnt?

ATLANTA — Usually, booze-soaked clubhouse celebrations are not the time to inquire about potential changes to the lineup.But when one potential change might have to do with Shohei Ohtani — the Dodgers’ biggest star and most troublesome question mark so far this postseason — then an exception on Wednesday night was warranted.Yes, Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman was indeed asked after the team’s Game 4 elimination of the Atlanta Braves if they were considering benching the slumping slugger after his injury-plagued struggles continued in the National League Division Series.And while, no, Friedman made clear such drastic measures aren’t on the table, the fact that speculation is even swirling only underscores the tenuous nature of Ohtani’s current situation.“At some point, it’s going to click for him,” Friedman insisted.“And the other team’s going to be in big trouble when that happens.”For now, that feels more like wishful thinking for the Dodgers and their $700 million conundrum.In the NLDS, Ohtani still looked nothing like himself while continuing to play through right arm and left knee problems.During the four games against the Braves, Ohtani went 2-for-13 with two walks, four strikeouts and a glaring lack of threatening at-bats.

He was dropped to fifth in the batting order for Game 3, then moved only to the cleanup spot in the team’s series-clinching Game 4 triumph.The 32-year-old made a positive impact on Wednesday, drawing a first-inning walk and then scoring after stealing second base and taking third on an errant throw.After that, however, he struck out, grounded out and watched fly ball die at the warning track.As a result, he finished the NLDS with a .154 average, second-lowest among Dodgers regulars ahead of only Will Smith.Now, two questions will linger as the Dodgers take their step in this postseason:Can Ohtani turn things around?Can the team still win if he doesn’t?The former seems much more diffic...