What happened: JoJo Romero struck out Shohei Ohtani in the NLCS opener. Ohtani struggled to hold onto the bat during the at-bat. He hit cleanup for a second straight postseason game.

Why it matters: Production from the cleanup spot sets the middle-of-the-order tone in a short series. A second strikeout in the opener stalls momentum from the No. 4 spot.

What to watch: Ohtani gets another look in his next trip through the order. Romero's outing shapes late-inning matchup decisions.