MLB Player News

Ohtani will start at designated hitter and bat leadoff Thursday in Game 4 of the NLCS against the Brewers.

The struggling Ohtani was moved down to the No. 6 spot in the lineup for Game 3 as he battles through nagging injuries. He did reach base three times Wednesday, though Ohtani is still looking for his first extra-base hit and RBI this postseason.

Phillies president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski said Thursday that the team plans for Schwarber to play around 30 games at first base next season, Matt Gelb and Charlotte Varnes of The Athletic report.

Schwarber made eight appearances (six starts) at first base in 2026, but the Phillies would like to play him in the field more often in 2027 in order to free up the designated hitter spot for others. The 33-year-old Schwarber has been utility-only eligible in most fantasy leagues over the last three years, but it sounds likely that he will pick up first base eligibility next season.

Ohtani will start at designated hitter and bat sixth Wednesday in Game 3 of the NLCS versus the Dodgers.

The Dodgers are sticking with Ohtani -- who is playing through multiple injuries -- in the lineup despite his .156/.283/.200 batting line with no home runs dating back to Aug. 19. However, they will push him down to the No. 6 spot, which is the lowest he's batted since joining the Dodgers.

Manager Dave Roberts said Tuesday that Ohtani will be in the lineup for Game 3 of the NLCS against Milwaukee on Wednesday, Jack Harris of the California Post reports.

Ohtani has been struggling mightily at the plate while playing through multiple injuries, slashing just .156/.283/.200 with one RBI and 36 strikeouts in 24 games (including the postseason) since Aug. 19. Between the 32-year-old's offensive woes and the Dodgers facing a 2-0 series deficit in the NLCS, the team was reportedly considering keeping Ohtani on the bench and deploying Josue De Paula as its DH in Game 3. However, Roberts said Ohtani was "adamant" that he is healthy enough to remain in the lineup and close to turning things around, so the Dodgers will stick with their franchise superstar and presumably keep him near the middle of their batting order. He will match up against southpaw Robert Gasser, against whom Ohtani is 0-for-6 in his career with a walk and three strikeouts.

The Dodgers are considering benching Ohtani for Game 3 of the NLCS against Milwaukee on Wednesday, Katie Woo and Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic report.

Ohtani has struggled so far in the series, going 1-for-7 with a walk and three strikeouts. However, his poor hitting has extended far beyond the NLCS -- since hitting three homers over two games in Colorado on Aug. 17 and 18, he's failed to go deep in his subsequent 24 contests (including the playoffs) while posting a meager .490 OPS. The two-way superstar has admitted to not being 100 percent and said through interpreter Will Ireton, "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 offseason when I'm going to have a little bit more time to be able to address it. But as of now, it's something I'm just going to have to manage." Los Angeles has thus far given Ohtani an opportunity to try to work out of the slump, but with the team now down 0-2 against Milwaukee, manager Dave Roberts said following Monday's loss that he'll have "a conversation" with Ohtani on Tuesday to "try to figure out what's best for him, what's best for us." Should Ohtani indeed be benched, Josue De Paula is expected to get an opportunity to start at DH.

Yelich is out of the lineup for Game 1 of the NLCS against the Dodgers on Sunday, Curt Hogg of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports.

Yelich started all four games versus San Diego during the NLDS, including the series opener versus lefty Robbie Ray, but the veteran slugger will hit the bench Sunday with ace southpaw Tarik Skubal taking the mound for Los Angeles. Yelich was a key piece of Milwaukee's offense versus the Padres -- going 5-for-14 with a double, two steals, one RBI and two runs -- and the Brewers may need him to deliver similar numbers to make the World Series. The 34-year-old will likely make an appearance off the bench Sunday once the Dodgers go to their bullpen.

Benintendi is absent from the lineup Wednesday for Game 3 of the ALDS against the Guardians.

The Guardians are starting a right-handed opener in Daniel Espino, but with either lefties Foster Griffin or Joey Cantillo likely to pitch in bulk relief, the lefty-swinging Benintendi will begin the contest on the bench. Benintendi is 1-for-5 with one RBI and a 2:3 BB:K so far during the postseason. Sam Antonacci is occupying the designated hitter spot, and Randal Grichuk will play left field as the White Sox try to close out the Guardians.

Ohtani will start at designated hitter and will bat fifth Tuesday in Game 3 of the NLDS against Atlanta.

It's the lowest Ohtani has batted since back in 2020 when he was still with the Angels. Ohtani has gone 1-for-4 at the plate in each of the first two games of the series, and he collected just a .503 OPS with zero home runs and a 34.9 percent strikeout rate over his final 18 regular-season contests. With Ohtani down in the No. 5 spot for Game 3, Mookie Betts has been elevated to the leadoff role.

Rice went 2-for-3 with a walk and two solo home runs during Game 2 of the ALDS against the Rays on Monday.

The 27-year-old slugger launched solo shots during the fourth and eighth innings, but the rest of the Yankees offense stayed dormant in Tampa Bay. It's already Rice's second two-homer game of the playoffs, which matches the number of times he achieved that feat across 154 contests during the regular season. After scoring nine runs in both wild-card games last week, Rice's two solo shots are the only offense New York has managed in the first two games of the ALDS.

De Paula is listed on the Dodgers' roster for their National League Division Series against Atlanta.

The 21-year-old outfielder spent time with the Dodgers near the end of the regular season while Shohei Ohtani was on the injured list. De Paula showed during his stint with the big club that his bat is already capable of handling MLB pitching, as he slashed .323/.500/.581 with a homer, seven RBI, 7 runs scored an an 11:5 BB:K across 42 plate appearances. However, the Dodgers already have an abundance of firepower in their lineup, so De Paula will almost certainly be limited to a bench role during the NLDS.