Dodgers eliminated by Brewers in NLCS as Ohtani's injuries limit performance

The Los Angeles Dodgers' bid for a third straight World Series ended on Thursday when the Milwaukee Brewers completed a four-game sweep in the National League Championship Series. The Dodgers entered the series after a season in which they carried the league's highest payroll and featured multiple former World Series MVPs and a Cy Young winner.

Shohei Ohtani, the team's two-way star, suffered a knee inflammation on June 11 against the Pittsburgh Pirates and subsequently dealt with lingering knee and biceps issues. After that game he pitched only three more times, posting a 4.50 ERA before being removed from the pitching rotation on July 3. In the postseason he recorded just one RBI in 83 regular-season plate appearances and reached base eight times in 28 playoff at-bats.

Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said after Game 4, "> They just out-pitched us, they outhit us, they played defense better, they didn’t make any mistakes."

The team's offensive output fell from a .257 batting average during the regular season to .188 in the playoffs, and its OPS dropped from .762 to .572. While the bullpen and starting rotation also showed vulnerabilities, the decline in Ohtani's production was highlighted as a significant issue.

Looking ahead, the Dodgers face an offseason with uncertainty surrounding the collective bargaining agreement, which expires on Dec. 1. MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred indicated the league will address competitive-balance concerns tied to the financial disparity between high-spending clubs and smaller-market teams.

Dodgers executive Stan Kasten noted the franchise's importance to owner Mark Walter, who has recently sold other sports assets to fund the baseball operation. The organization will need to decide how to manage Ohtani's dual role as pitcher and hitter, given his injury history and the team's reliance on his input regarding health and usage.