Two Big Moves Change the Playoff Picture
Game 3 of the National League Division Series will see the San Diego Padres play the Milwaukee Brewers, but star closer Mason Miller will be unavailable. Miller joined the paternity list just before the first pitch on Tuesday night because his wife was expecting their first child.
Meanwhile, the Los Angeles Dodgers made a bold lineup change against the Atlanta Braves, dropping four-time MVP Shohei Ohtani to the fifth spot. Both teams are making tough choices to win a short series. These moves show how high the stakes are when a season hangs in the balance.
Miller’s absence leaves a huge hole in the ninth inning for San Diego. He was scheduled to close out the game if the Padres held a lead. Lefty reliever Wandy Peralta will take his place on the roster. Miller can return as early as Wednesday for Game 4, but the Padres must win this game to force a fourth match. They currently trail the series 2-0 in this best-of-five format. The team faces a tall order without their best relief pitcher on the mound.
The Dodgers are fighting a different battle. They ended Tuesday up two to one games against the Braves. Manager Dave Roberts moved Ohtani to the middle of the order to better handle left-handed starter Chris Sale. This is the lowest spot Ohtani has hit since September 23, 2020. The goal is to spread out the left-handed hitters and protect Ohtani from Sale’s tough pitching. Roberts knows Sale is a different monster on the mound.
Family Comes First for the Closer
Baseball rules allow players to leave the team for a maximum of three days on the paternity list. This rule recognizes that family life does not stop just because the playoffs start. On Sunday night, Miller delivered 40 pitches and got six outs in his most recent outing. He walked the bases loaded and gave up a game-winning single to Jackson Chourio. Despite that rough outing, the team likely would have used him in a save situation today.
The timing of this event is incredibly difficult for a player in a must-win game. Miller’s last outing showed the pressure he faces. This season, he has reached six outs only three times. The Padres are trailing 2-0 and need a win to stay alive. Losing their top closer at this exact moment adds to the pressure. Yet, the decision to let him be with his family shows a team that values people over stats.
Manager Craig Stammen stated that Michael King, scheduled to potentially start Game 5, will work out of the bullpen on Tuesday. King could be available under the right circumstances. This gives the Padres a plan, but it is not the same as having Miller. The team must find a way to hold the lead without their star. The series is short, and every pitch matters more now than ever before.
Dodgers Rethink Lineup Strategy
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts explained the reasoning behind moving Ohtani, and clarified that this decision does not reflect a lack of trust in any specific player. It is more about what gives the team the best chance to win today. Roberts placed Freddie Freeman at the No. 2 spot and positioned Kyle Tucker eighth. Ohtani, who is 3-for-15 with five strikeouts against Sale in his career, sits in the middle.
“We all understand that Sale’s going to be tough,” Roberts said, according to ESPN. “But the guys I feel at the top have a good chance to get on base, and I do think that there’s going to be opportunities where the game, the situation, bleeds into Shohei’s at-bat.” This quote shows that Roberts is thinking about how the game flows. He wants to set up Ohtani for success later in the inning.
When Roberts told Ohtani about the change on Monday night, the star joked about it. Back in September, Ohtani mentioned he thought about asking Roberts to bat him seventh. This was the position he occupied during his final season with the Los Angeles Angels in 2020. Ohtani has been struggling at the plate since returning from injuries. Through the first two games of the NLDS, he tallied two hits and two strikeouts across eight at-bats.
Roberts acknowledged that Ohtani has been chasing pitches. Until he demonstrates better restraint, he will keep facing pitches outside the strike zone. Regarding Wednesday’s Game 4 against right-hander Tyler Mahle, the manager stated he does not anticipate Ohtani batting fifth. The lineup is a tool, not a permanent punishment. Roberts said, “I just feel this gives us the best chance to beat the Braves today and combat Sale, to combat what they’re going to throw after Sale.” He added, “And I feel good about it.”
These lineup and roster moves highlight the pressure of a short series. Every decision carries weight because there is no time to recover from a mistake. The Padres are trying to avoid elimination while missing their best closer. The Dodgers are trying to use every tactical edge to beat a strong pitching staff. Both teams are willing to shake up the status quo to win.
The Braves also have struggles to deal with. Slugger Ronald Acuña Jr. is 3-for-18 in the postseason with no homers. In the opening two games of the series, he went 2-for-9. While Atlanta manager Walt Weiss has kept Acuña in the No. 2 spot, he moved Acuña from right field to designated hitter. This shows that even the best players are feeling the pressure of the playoffs.
For the fans, these stories matter. They show that sports are not just about stats. They are about people making hard choices under bright lights. Miller choosing to be with his family is a moment of humanity in a high-stakes game. Ohtani accepting a lineup change shows a willingness to do what is best for the team. These actions define the character of the players and the teams they represent.
