Dodgers Drop Struggling Shohei Ohtani To Fifth In Lineup For Game 3 vs. Braves

Dodgers moved Shohei Ohtani down to fifth in the Game 3 lineup — his lowest spot since 2020.
Ohtani’s been in a slump (just eight hits in his last 10 games) and was recently activated off the IL after knee and biceps issues; he’s also struggled historically against Braves ace Chris Sale.
L.A.’s new top five (Betts, Hernández, Freeman, Smith, Ohtani) is a bold balance play by Dave Roberts as the Dodgers chase a pivotal 2–1 series lead.