What happened: Shohei Ohtani is batting cleanup for the Los Angeles Dodgers in Game 1 of the National League Championship Series against the Milwaukee Brewers. This marks his second consecutive postseason game hitting from the fourth position.

Why it matters: The lineup decision maintains the middle-of-the-order structure Los Angeles utilized to close out their previous series. Analysts like Yonder Alonso have recently broken down the swing mechanics that keep Ohtani productive in these high-leverage playoff situations.

What to watch: Ohtani takes his first at-bats in the four-hole against Brewers pitching as the championship series begins.