{
  "id": 14172542,
  "title": "Buried in NLCS hole, Dodgers need these three things to crawl out vs Brewers",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/13/buried-in-nlcs-hole-dodgers-need-these-three-things-to-crawl-out-vs",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-10-13T10:09:06.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Yahoo Sports",
    "slug": "yahoo-sports",
    "url": "https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/buried-nlcs-hole-dodgers-three-100906666.html"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "The Los Angeles Dodgers find themselves in a precarious position in the National League Championship Series against the Milwaukee Brewers, trailing 2-0 in a best-of-seven series. To climb out of this hole, the team must make significant adjustments. First and foremost, Blake Snell and Tyler Glasnow must step up in crucial moments. Snell, who had a near-miss performance against Atlanta in the NLDS, will need to avoid repeating similar mistakes in Game 3. Glasnow, although effective in his first playoff start, must provide depth and quality to the bullpen. With both relievers facing an increasing number of batters, the Dodgers need reliable pitching to keep their lead. Additionally, the Dodgers must address their offensive woes. With both Shohei Ohtani and Will Smith struggling with injuries and inconsistency, they have been benched for the series. While Ohtani has yet to homer since August and Smith has struggled with a neck injury, their absence has left a noticeable void in the lineup. As a result, manager Dave Roberts has moved Ohtani from the top of the order and Smith from third to fifth. This benching may be the best option to avoid a repeat of last postseason's \"Weekend at Shohei's,\" where Ohtani's inconsistent performance placed undue pressure on the team. To bolster their offense, the Dodgers should consider moving Kyle Tucker to the bottom of the lineup, where he can provide consistent production and act as a surprise for opposing pitchers. Tucker's solid at-bats and .891 OPS in the postseason make him a valuable resource that the team cannot afford to overlook.",
  "summary": "Dodgers head home to Los Angeles with their backs against the wall in 2026 NLCS.",
  "key_points": [
    "Blake Snell and Tyler Glasnow must improve in crucial moments",
    "Dodgers need reliable pitching to maintain lead",
    "Offense suffers due to injuries to Ohtani and Smith"
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}