Dodgers in a standing eight-count
The Dodgers have backed themselves into a corner: win at least two of the next three games or the title defense ends.
In a surprising turn of events, the Los Angeles Dodgers found themselves in a 0-2 hole in Game 2 of the National League Championship Series against the Milwaukee Brewers. The once dominant Dodgers, who had been planning to defend their title, now faced a daunting task to keep their hopes alive. The team has largely dug their own hole, with key contributors like Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto struggling throughout the series.
As the famous Bob Dylan song goes, it is not dark yet, but it is getting there. The Dodgers will have to win four of the next five games in order to have the opportunity to defend their title. If they fail to do so, the streak of teams other than the Dodgers to clinch a championship at Dodger Stadium will continue. The team's offense has been a concern throughout the series, with Mookie Betts' performance being a topic of discussion.
While the Dodgers have given Ohtani plenty of leash to manage his ailments, the question remains whether he is physically unable to contribute at this stage of the game.
Written by urgent.news from Yahoo Sports's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
