For the third postseason in a row, the Los Angeles Dodgers are facing elimination, this year at the hands of the San Diego Padres, who took a 2-1 lead in their NLDS series after winning Game 3, 6-5. The Padres also weathered an attempted comeback from the Dodgers, down 6-1 at one point, and held on for the win. Moreover, the Dodgers also suffered another setback, as shortstop Miguel Rojas left the game due to a groin injury.

After the game, the shortstop said that he “will see how he feels when he comes in tomorrow, but noted that whenever he has aggravated his torn adductor this season, the next day is usually the more painful one,” per a report from Dodgers writer Fabian Ardaya on X, formerly Twitter.

NLDS Game 3: Padres def. Dodgers, Padres lead 2-1

Los Angeles Dodgers shortstop Miguel Rojas (11) throws late to first after not forcing out San Diego Padres outfielder Jackson Merrill (3) at second in the second inning during game three of the NLDS for the 2024 MLB Playoffs at Petco Park.
© Denis Poroy-Imagn Images

Miguel Rojas left Game 3 of the NLDS while the Dodgers were down 6-1 to the Padres, moments before Teoscar Hernandez's grand slam gave the team some life and hope for a comeback. While running to third base, Rojas seemed to hurt himself, prompting manager Dave Roberts to pull him out and replace him with pinch runner Andy Pages.

While the shortstop walked off the field on his own power, he was in visible pain. Miguel Rojas had been playing through the injury he'd sustained at the end of the regular season, and the re-aggravation in Game 3 of the NLDS forced him to leave the game.

Additionally, Freddie Freeman signaled his availability only moments before Game 3, as he continues to nurse an ankle injury. The Dodgers will need all hands on deck now if they want to keep their season alive.

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For instance, they will need to lean harder on Shohei Ohtani and Teoscar Hernandez, who cut the Padres' five-run to just a single run with only a single swing. Last season, this team practically laid down as the Arizona Diamondbacks swept them out of the NLDS.

“We made a lot of mistakes on our part that cost us some runs, but we were able to fight back. The key tomorrow is to make sure the momentum is on our side,” Ohtani said, via a report from Michael Duarte for NBC 4 Los Angeles.

Win or go home

While facing elimination in a hostile environment has become familiar territory for the Dodgers, they don't want to keep mounting comebacks throughout the postseason. Injuries or setbacks aside, the point is they have to find some way to win playoff games if they want to keep playing.

“We have to win or go home,” Rojas added.

After all, fans expect that a team willing to open their checkbooks for Shohei Ohtani and other marquee players shouldn't at least face elimination this early in their postseason run.