What happened: Ohtani slides from second, where he hit since his late-September return to the lineup. Roberts had left open moving Ohtani out of the top two spots if needed.

Why it matters: Ohtani has said knee and bicep issues will need managing into October. Batting fifth puts more runners on ahead of him in a series where each run shapes advancement.

What to watch: The next NLDS first pitch shows whether fifth sticks as the October alignment.