Shohei Ohtani, the dude who practically redefines “best baseball player in the world” every single season, has not hit a home run since August 18th. Yeah, you read that right. We’re talking almost two full months without a long ball from a four-time MVP and six-time All-Star who has cranked at least 44 dingers in four separate MLB seasons. Now, with the two-time reigning World Series champion Dodgers facing the Milwaukee Brewers in the National League Championship Series, that kind of silence at the plate is not just jarring, it’s downright concerning.
Ohtani’s Postseason Struggles Are Piling Up
Forget what we’re used to seeing from Ohtani at the plate. Through five Dodgers postseason games, including a tough Game 1 loss to Milwaukee, he’s still waiting for his first home run. And it’s not just the homers, either. The guy is hitting a measly 3-for-16 in the postseason so far. This isn’t the guy we expect, the most dominant hitter in the game who usually mashes extra-base hits all over the yard. It’s mid-October, folks, and the Dodgers are built around him doing exactly that. His bat being this quiet, especially after such a long regular season drought, is a huge question mark hovering over the whole team.
Injuries Are Keeping the Superstar From His Rhythm
So, what in the world is going on with the 32-year-old superstar? It seems pretty clear Ohtani has been battling through a lot of injury issues. We’re talking a variety of knee and biceps problems that have plagued him since the start of summer. This 2026 season was actually the first time he appeared in fewer than 158 games since 2023, back when he was with the Angels. It looks like these injuries have completely thrown off his rhythm, a rhythm he hasn’t found in a long time. It’s one thing to deal with that in July, but now, in the middle of October with everything on the line, he doesn’t have much time left to find that scary zone that makes opposing pitchers lose sleep.
The Dodgers, being stacked with All-Stars, absolutely have the overall talent to beat the Brewers, even though Milwaukee had the better regular season record. But make no mistake: they are much more vulnerable when Ohtani isn’t mashing. This is the NLCS, with a third straight trip to the World Series hanging in the balance. We’re all watching to see if Ohtani can shake off these struggles and look like his dominant self over the rest of the series. The season is on the line, and the Dodgers need their best player to find his bat, and fast.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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