Shohei Ohtani gets knocked down the Dodgers lineup as playoff panic sets in

Shohei Ohtani was indeed in the Dodgers’ lineup for Game 3 of the National League Championship Series, as manager Dave Roberts confirmed on Tuesday amid speculation that the slugger could be benched.However, Ohtani was dropped down to the No.6 spot in the order amid his injury-hampered 3-for-20 slump in the playoffs, the lowest he had been slotted in his Dodgers career.The move came with the club facing a 2-0 series hole to the Milwaukee Brewers in the best-of-seven NLCS.It was another of sign that — despite their proclamations that he is close to turning things around — the Dodgers are uncertain about exactly what they will get from the two-way star, who was coming off his worst performance of the playoffs in an 0-for-4, two-strikeout clunker in Game 2.Ohtani was not the only one to be dropped in the order.

Another slumping bat, catcher Will Smith, slid to the seven-hole after starting the postseason in a 1-for-23 rut.In their place, Kyle Tucker was moved into the cleanup spot and Andy Pages was shifted to the No.5 spot.It was all part of the Dodgers’ efforts to shift momentum in the series, and find better answers against a Brewers pitching staff that has held them to just five runs and 10 hits in the first two games of the NLCS....