The Los Angeles Dodgers jumped out to a 2-0 series lead over the Milwaukee Brewers in the NLCS. Los Angeles won the first two games on the road despite Shohei Ohtani’s brutal postseason slump. The reigning NL MVP has struggled in October. But he got off to a strong start in Game 3 of the Championship Series.
Ohtani gave the Dodgers an early boost with a leadoff triple on Thursday. Facing Aaron Ashby in the top of the first inning, Ohtani swatted a low and away slider down the right field line. Running hard out of the box, the Dodgers DH slid into third without a throw.
A leadoff triple for Shohei has the Dodgers set up in the first! pic.twitter.com/LH787M7cdQ
— Talkin’ Baseball (@TalkinBaseball_) October 16, 2025
It was just the third postseason leadoff triple in franchise history and the first in 48 years, per MLB’s Sarah Langs. Only Jimmy Johnson (1916), Davey Lopes (1977) and Ohtani have recorded leadoff triples for the Dodgers in the playoffs.
Is Shohei Ohtani breaking out of prolonged postseason slump?
Ohtani’s three-bagger set the Dodgers up with a chance to take the lead early in Game 3. And a Mookie Betts RBI double quickly put LA up 1-0 in the first inning. Brewers starter Aaron Ashby rebounded by striking out Will Smith. But a Freddie Freeman walk forced Pat Murphy to go to the bullpen.
Murphy drew criticism for his decision to start Ashby. But rookie phenom Jacob Misiorowski has, once again, been sensational in relief.
The Dodgers’ historically dominant starting pitching lifted LA to a 2-0 Championship Series lead. Blake Snell and Yoshinobu Yamamoto tossed back-to-back gems, combining to limit the Brewers to one run on four hits in 17 innings. The rotation’s incredible postseason performance has allowed the Dodgers to overcome Ohtani’s brutal hitting slump.
The three-time MVP has looked lost at the plate in the playoffs. Ohtani entered Game 3 slashing .147/.275/.324 with just two extra-base hits and 15 strikeouts in eight postseason games. Ohtani went 3-29 with no extra-base hits and three RBI in the seven games following his two-homer performance in the NLWCS opener.
The Dodgers hope Ohtani’s leadoff triple is a sign that he’s turned a corner at the plate. The two-way star will take the mound for Los Angeles in Game 4. If the Dodgers defeat Milwaukee on Thursday, Ohtani would be pitching with a chance to clinch the NLCS and send LA to the World Series.
