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By Gabe Smallson
Contributing Sports Writer
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The Los Angeles Dodgers have taken a 2-0 lead against the Milwaukee Brewers in the National League Championship Series as they look to get back to the World Series for the second consecutive season.
With such a star-studded squad just six wins away from baseball immortality once again, opposing teams must be strategic when facing an offense that led the National League in OPS, runs, home runs, and RBIs during the regular season.
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One man in particular who is causing tons of strategy creation from opposing managers is three-time (and likely soon-to-be four-time) MVP Shohei Ohtani.
Ohtani finished the regular season with the most runs scored and total bases in MLB, the third-most home runs, and led the National League in slugging percentage and OPS. He was also intentionally walked 20 times this year, the third-most in baseball.
Right behind Ohtani in the order is eight-time All-Star Mookie Betts.
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A former MVP in his own right, Betts is no easy out. But after a career-worst slump that ate up most of his season (hitting.244 before the All-Star break), he at least understands why Ohtani is walked so much, despite another star lurking on deck. He candidly spoke to MLB Network Radio about how he feels when Ohtani is walked to get to him, and gave a coy, five-word response.
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"I would do it too," Betts said with a chuckle.
Betts ended the last two months of his regular season batting .294 with an OPS of .828, breaking out of his slow production at the perfect time. Even with his struggles, Betts had a slashline of .295/.331/.465 with runners in scoring position. So far this postseason, the shortstop has kept an .849 OPS with five RBIs.
Ohtani, on the other hand, has been far from himself in October.
The presumed NL MVP is hitting just .147 this postseason, but has still managed to produce six RBIs. He slugged a pair of home runs during the first game of the Wild Card round, but hasn't gone yard since.
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