The Los Angeles Dodgers, a squad used to racking up wins and chasing championships, are suddenly in absolutely unfamiliar territory. These two-time defending World Series champs are staring down a brutal 3-0 deficit against Milwaukee in the National League Championship Series. If they want any shot at becoming the first National League team to three-peat since the New York Yankees did it from 1998-2000, they’re gonna have to pull off four straight wins, starting with Game 4 at Dodger Stadium. After losing Game 3 by a 6-2 final, that mountain just got a whole lot steeper.
Their Bats Are Straight-Up Missing in Action
It’s not just that they’re losing, it’s *how* they’re losing. The Dodgers’ offense has just vanished into thin air this postseason. Seriously, they’re a miserable 3 for 32 with runners in scoring position overall, and against the Brewers? A woeful 1 for 14. This is a team that mashed 204 homers in the regular season, good for seventh in MLB, and they haven’t hit a single one in the entire NLCS. Manager Dave Roberts hit it right on the head, saying, “It’s just this whole series they’ve outslugged us, outhit us. We’ve got to get a lead and find a way to tack on.” Max Muncy echoed the sentiment, knowing they’ve “still have the pitching staff to be able to do it. We just have to get some hits.” Easier said than done when the bat feels like a pool noodle.
Stars Can’t Shine When It Matters Most
Game 3 was a prime example of the struggles. The Dodgers actually scraped together two runs in the sixth inning to grab a 2-1 lead. But then, with runners on second and third and only one out, pinch-hitter Kiké Hernández struck out swinging. Tommy Edman followed that up by taking a called third strike to end the inning. Hernández admitted, “That was the game right there. We need to put the ball in play. I struck out and gave Tommy a way harder job with two outs. I have had two of the biggest at-bats in the series for our team and I haven’t been able to come through. I just need to do my job.”
And it’s not just one or two guys. The top of the lineup, Mookie Betts, Freddie Freeman, and Teoscar Hernández, went a combined 1 for 11 in Game 3, which saw the team total just five hits. Even four-time MVP Shohei Ohtani is struggling, hitting a measly .182 after going 1 for 2, a far cry from being NLCS MVP in a sweep against the Brewers just last year. Catcher Will Smith is in an even deeper hole, with a .074 average, despite hitting a two-run double. The only bright spot in this offensive blackout? Kyle Tucker, who had a tough regular season but is batting .304 after his 1 for 3 night in Game 3.
One More Shot at History
So, what’s next for the Dodgers? Game 4 is back at Dodger Stadium, with Tyler Glasnow scheduled to take the mound. They’ve got a 44-42 record in postseason elimination games, but “we’ve never been in this big of a hole,” as Kiké Hernández pointed out. He also offered a glimmer of hope, “but we’ve had our backs against the wall plenty of times before, and we’ve come out of it. We’re just trying to do it one more time.” If they can somehow find a way to win Game 4, they would host Game 5. The historical odds are stacked against them, though. Only one team in major league history has ever come back from a 3-0 deficit to win a best-of-seven postseason series: the 2004 Boston Red Sox. That team even had Dave Roberts on it, whose gutsy stolen base helped spark that comeback. When asked if he’d share that story with his team, Roberts said, “I don’t think so. I think they’ve seen the documentary. They know it can happen.” They know it can happen. Now they just need to actually do it. Game 4 is a must-watch, because it’s either the end of the road or the start of something legendary.
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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