What happened: The Los Angeles Dodgers moved Shohei Ohtani down from the cleanup spot for the next NLCS game. Ohtani went 1-for-7 with 0 home runs, 0 RBI and 3 strikeouts in the first two games. The Milwaukee Brewers lead the series 2-0.

Why it matters: The cleanup role anchors middle-order production, so the reassignment changes at-bat order and matchup decisions. The adjustment tests depth behind the top of the lineup in a postseason setting.

What to watch: The revised batting order slot for Ohtani is the watch point at the scheduled start. The game has not started yet with the score 0-0.