Shohei Ohtani
Shohei Ohtani

LOS ANGELES — The Los Angeles Dodgers are leaning on Shohei Ohtani to break out of the worst slump of his Dodgers career as they try to avoid falling into a near-impossible hole against the Milwaukee Brewers in the National League Championship Series.

Ohtani will be in the lineup for Game 3 on Wednesday night at Dodger Stadium, manager Dave Roberts said, despite a prolonged slump and lingering injuries that led the team to discuss benching him. The two-time defending World Series champions trail the best-of-seven series 2-0.

First pitch is scheduled for 8 p.m. EDT, 5 p.m. local time, with the game airing on FS1.

A decision after debate

Ohtani went 0-for-4 with two strikeouts in Monday's 7-4 loss in Milwaukee, a defeat that sent the Dodgers home needing a turnaround.

After that game, the Dodgers said they would discuss sitting him for Game 3, according to The Athletic. Roberts said at the time that the slugger did not feel great and that his performance had not been good.

But after speaking with Ohtani, Roberts said Tuesday that the three-time MVP had convinced him he was close to a breakthrough. Roberts said Ohtani was "very convicted that he's on to something mechanically."

"He's well enough to help us win a baseball game," Roberts said.

Roberts added that the team was "going to support the crap out of him and believe in him."

Ohtani has acknowledged the struggle to stay consistent. He said that over a long season, there is only a short stretch when his mechanics are fully in sync, and that he has been going back and forth trying to find the right parts of his swing.

An unfamiliar slump

Ohtani's postseason has been a stark contrast to his past October success.

He is 3-for-20, a .150 average, with no extra-base hits this postseason. Over his last 35 games, including the regular season and playoffs, he is hitting .197 with a .629 OPS. He has not hit a home run since August.

Ohtani has been managing right biceps and left knee injuries since at least June. The problems landed him on the injured list in September and have also kept him off the mound since early July. Roberts acknowledged that the injuries have crept into Ohtani's offense.

Last postseason, Ohtani hit eight home runs in 84 plate appearances, posting a .405 on-base percentage and a 1.096 OPS, while also pitching at least once in every series.

His most memorable performance came against these same Brewers. In Game 4 of last year's NLCS, Ohtani hit three home runs and struck out 10 while pitching shutout ball into the seventh inning, leading the Dodgers to a series-clinching 5-1 win. He was named NLCS MVP on the strength of that performance.

Brewers manager Pat Murphy called it possibly the best individual performance ever in a postseason game.

Lineup changes

Against Brewers left-hander Robert Gasser, Roberts said Ohtani could bat anywhere from second to sixth in the order. Ohtani and catcher Will Smith have already dropped in the lineup amid their struggles. Smith is 1-for-23 this postseason.

If Ohtani had been benched, top prospect Josue De Paula would likely have started at designated hitter.

First baseman Freddie Freeman is also managing a right knee issue. Outfielder Kyle Tucker, 6-for-20, has been the Dodgers' most consistent hitter this postseason.

Pitching matchup

Blake Snell, a two-time Cy Young Award winner, is expected to start for the Dodgers. After the team used seven relievers in Game 2, the Dodgers are hoping for a long outing from the left-hander, who has a strong track record against Milwaukee.

Gasser, 27, will make just his second career postseason start. He allowed one run over four innings in the Brewers' series-clinching Game 4 win over the San Diego Padres in the Division Series. He went 5-5 with a 3.87 ERA during the regular season.

Brewers' bullpen dominance

Milwaukee has won both games behind its bullpen. In Game 1, a 2-1 victory, the Brewers rode a strong relief effort after Brice Turang homered off Tarik Skubal to tie the game and Luis Lara drove in the go-ahead run.

In Game 2, relievers Dustin May, JoJo Romero, Abner Uribe and Aaron Ashby combined to retire the last 15 Dodgers batters in order, while William Contreras delivered at the plate.

History not on Dodgers' side

The Brewers are seeking redemption after being swept by the Dodgers in last year's NLCS. Milwaukee has been eliminated by Los Angeles three times during its current run of postseason appearances.

Teams that fall behind 3-0 in a best-of-seven series almost never recover. Only one team in Major League Baseball history, the 2004 Boston Red Sox, has come back from that deficit.

A Dodgers win Wednesday would cut the series deficit to 2-1, with Game 4 scheduled for Thursday in Los Angeles.

For Ohtani, Game 3 is a chance to rediscover the form that made him the centerpiece of the Dodgers' back-to-back championship runs. For the Dodgers, who finished with the best record in baseball, it may be their last realistic chance to keep their bid for a third straight title alive.