The Dodgers-Braves Series Heats Up

The series between the Dodgers and the Braves just became much more compelling.

Shohei Ohtani, the Los Angeles superstar, mentioned on Friday that he feels the past few days have been quite “productive” and that his swing is “in a better place” as they head into Saturday’s Game 1 of the National League Division Series.

However, it’s important to note that Ohtani won’t be at full health for this series or, it seems, for the remainder of the playoffs. He has been dealing with injuries to his left knee and right biceps throughout the summer, as both he and Dodgers manager Dave Roberts have indicated. Ohtani stated, “As of now, it’s something I’m just going to have to manage,” according to his interpreter.

In early September, Ohtani was placed on the injured list due to his knee and bicep issues, after struggling through a stretch of 14 games with only seven hits and 22 strikeouts. He did return for the final five games of the regular season, but inconsistency plagued his performance.

Ohtani is uncertain about what lies ahead, whether surgery or other treatments will be necessary for his injuries this offseason. He admitted, “I haven’t been able to get a good grasp of the root cause of all this. I think that process is going to happen during the off-season.”

On paper, the Dodgers seem to have the upper hand, boasting star players, a hefty payroll, and home-field advantage. But, October baseball often defies logic, and a five-game series is infamous for turning dominant regular-season teams into playoff disappointments.

With Ohtani dealing with a left knee issue, it affects his base and swing torque; the arm issue impacts his bat control. Should the Braves’ pitchers exploit these vulnerabilities and keep Ohtani from being effective, the rest of the Dodgers’ lineup could lose some of its fear factor.

This gives the Braves a significant opportunity.

Atlanta has played the underdog before and knows how to upset a favorite. Their strategy typically involves stealing one of the first two games at Dodger Stadium, which would put pressure on Roberts’ bullpen decisions, and then allowing their home field to enhance the momentum.

Remember, the Braves did something similar in the 2021 NLCS, winning a game in Los Angeles and going on to take the series 4-2 — and they ultimately won the World Series that year. History can have a funny way of repeating itself in sports.

Moreover, the pressure is firmly on the Dodgers in this matchup. For them, anything less than a championship ring will be viewed as a failure. If Atlanta’s pitchers can set the pace early and if Ohtani appears even slightly compromised compared to his September form, we might just witness an unexpected turn of events — reminiscent of 2021.

The Dodgers reveal a hint of vulnerability here, which surely intrigues the Braves.