Home · Sports · Oct 6 archive
MLB Playoffs Begin: Brewers and Ohtani's Health in Focus
Confirmed
In Short: The 2026 MLB playoffs are underway, with experts predicting a strong run for the Milwaukee Brewers and concerns over Shohei Ohtani's health.
The 2026 MLB playoffs have kicked off, with two games completed in all four division series, marking the start of a chaotic October format.
ESPN's Tristan Cockcroft predicts the Milwaukee Brewers could make a strong run, noting the team's recent home success and the potential for a series turnaround.
"He's got his butt in the first-base dugout," said an ESPN commentator, highlighting the Brewers' home-field advantage.
Shohei Ohtani, the Dodgers' two-way star, remains a key player despite health concerns. Ohtani called his recent days "very productive" and believes his swing is "in a better place".
"As of now, it's something I'm just going to have to manage," Ohtani said through an interpreter, addressing his knee and bicep injuries.
Ohtani took batting practice on the field during workouts, with Dodgers hitting coach Aaron Bates noting that Ohtani's sessions were "as good as we've seen it this year".
"He did hit a couple balls up off the scoreboard," said Bates, indicating Ohtani's progress.
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts confirmed Ohtani will be placed on the 15-day injured list, but said, "Shohei's not 100 percent, but he's going to be in the lineup."
"I think that most players that are performing now are not 100 percent," Roberts added, noting the commonality of players managing injuries.
Ohtani's knee and bicep injuries have been a concern since early September, with the left knee and right bicep issues sending him to the injured list.
"During the IL I pretty much knew I wasn't going to pitch the rest of the season," Ohtani said, indicating his focus on hitting.
"So I did focus on just the hitting aspect of the game and coming to understanding and wanting to execute and try new things when I was back in action," Ohtani explained.
What this adds
The Brewers' home success and potential series turnaround are key factors in their predicted strong run.
Ohtani's health concerns and his focus on hitting are significant factors in the Dodgers' playoff strategy.
What's confirmed
- The 2026 MLB playoffs have kicked off, with two games completed in all four division series, marking the start of a chaotic October format.
- ESPN's Tristan Cockcroft predicts the Milwaukee Brewers could make a strong run, noting the team's recent home success and the potential for a series turnaround.
- "He's got his butt in the first-base dugout," said an ESPN commentator, highlighting the Brewers' home-field advantage.
- Shohei Ohtani, the Dodgers' two-way star, remains a key player despite health concerns. Ohtani called his recent days "very productive" and believes his swing is "in a better place".
- "As of now, it's something I'm just going to have to manage," Ohtani said through an interpreter, addressing his knee and bicep injuries.
- Ohtani took batting practice on the field during workouts, with Dodgers hitting coach Aaron Bates noting that Ohtani's sessions were "as good as we've seen it this year".
- "He did hit a couple balls up off the scoreboard," said Bates, indicating Ohtani's progress.
- "I think that most players that are performing now are not 100 percent," Roberts added, noting the commonality of players managing injuries.
- Ohtani's knee and bicep injuries have been a concern since early September, with the left knee and right bicep issues sending him to the injured list.
- "During the IL I pretty much knew I wasn't going to pitch the rest of the season," Ohtani said, indicating his focus on hitting.
- "So I did focus on just the hitting aspect of the game and coming to understanding and wanting to execute and try new things when I was back in action," Ohtani explained.
What's still developing
- But it's also easy to envision a path for them to get back into this series: playing back-to-back games in their raucous home environment, where they are 23-5 since the start of August, and facing the soft spot of the Brewers' rotation.
- As we do early in every MLB regular season, we asked our MLB experts to go all-in on one thing that has stuck out to them by giving us their boldest prediction for the rest of the playoffs based on the early action.
- -- Tristan Cockcroft I've already gone on record as being a "Brewers believer." Jackson Chourio and Brice Turang might not be as good as Paul Molitor and Robin Yount, but the current Milwaukee team is ready to win the franchise's first World Series crown.
- "Shohei's not 100 percent, but he's going to be in the lineup," Roberts said, adding that veteran first baseman Freddie Freeman also isn't fully healthy, among others.
- Ohtani also went 8-2 with a 1.79 ERA in 14 starts, but he didn't pitch past July 3 and had essentially been ruled out of pitching by Labor Day.
- Ohtani, 32, said he still has to make "little tweaks here and there" with his swing before feeling ready for Game 1.
- "Whether I have a lot of at-bats or not, I can figure out how I feel, especially in my setup," Ohtani said.
- But Ohtani won't be fully healthy then and perhaps at any point this postseason.
- Ohtani returned with five regular-season games and was inconsistent, putting together an encouraging stretch against the San Diego Padres and an overwhelming one against the San Francisco Giants.
- Ohtani also took three plate appearances against Yoshinobu Yamamoto in a prolonged simulated game Wednesday, worked out inside Thursday and came onto the field for three rounds of outdoor batting practice around 6 p.m.
- "So that's something I was able to kind of see. But I do want to get into the postseason, feel the atmosphere, and again kind of recalibrate what I have to."
- Due to this, the Dodgers will be hoping that Ohtani is fully healthy once his stint on the 15-day injured list passes.