The Los Angeles Dodgers are in an absolute nightmare. They’re down two games to none against the Milwaukee Brewers in the NLCS, and their incredible run for a third straight World Series title is seriously on the rocks. This isn’t just a tough spot; it’s an almost must-win home game for them tonight, and the pressure in the City of Angels is through the roof.
This 2-0 Deficit Has a Brutal History
Being down 2-0 in a best-of-seven series is almost a death sentence. Get this: out of the past 38 teams who faced a 2-0 hole, a staggering 36 were ultimately eliminated. That’s a brutal stat, isn’t it? This is the first time in their current championship run that the Dodgers have been in a two-game series deficit. Sure, they’ve pulled off some incredible comebacks before, like rallying from down 2-1 against San Diego in the 2024 NLDS and from 3-2 down in last year’s World Series against Toronto. But the last time they trailed a series 2-0? That was back in the 2023 NLDS when they lost to the Phillies. It shows how dangerous this spot truly is. Tonight, they’re looking to Blake Snell to lead the charge, but he’s got his work cut out for him.
Ohtani’s Bat Is Silent and L.A. Can’t Hit With Runners On
What’s really crushing the Dodgers right now is their complete inability to hit with runners in scoring position. Seriously, it’s painful to watch. They’re a pathetic 1-for-10 with RISP in this series and just 2-for-26 overall (.077) in the entire playoffs. Can you believe it? None of their four runs in that 7-4 Game 2 loss on Monday even came via a hit. Andy Pages is the *only* Dodger with an RISP hit this postseason. Even playoff maestro Yoshinobu Yamamoto couldn’t make it three full innings in Game 2. A lot of the blame, and you can see why, is falling squarely on the shoulders of Shohei Ohtani. The former three-time league MVP is battling injuries and hasn’t homered since way back on August 18, putting him at 110 plate appearances without one. There was so much chatter that we might see Ohtani taken out of the lineup tonight, but that’s not happening. He’s in, struggling or not.
Game 3 kicks off tonight at 8 p.m. ET from Dodger Stadium, with the winds blowing out at about 9 mph. The Dodgers are favored at -185 on the money line, but honestly, with the way they’re hitting, who knows? The series line has Milwaukee as heavy -285 favorites. If the Dodgers want any shot at keeping their World Series dream alive, they have to turn it around starting tonight. It’s now or never.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by CBS Sports.
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