Ohtani stays in Dodgers lineup for Game 3 — NL West roundup

No NL West clubs were in action yesterday, but the division still generated plenty of news, with Shohei Ohtani’s role in the NLCS under the microscope and the Arizona Diamondbacks already squarely in offseason mode.

Ohtani to remain in Dodgers lineup for NLCS Game 3

CBS Sports reports that Shohei Ohtani will stay in the Los Angeles Dodgers’ lineup for Game 3 of the National League Championship Series against the Milwaukee Brewers, despite a rough postseason so far. The outlet notes that Ohtani is dealing with knee and biceps injuries and is 3-for-20 in these playoffs, while the Dodgers trail the series 0–2.

CBS Sports adds that after a second half impacted by injuries, Ohtani has been a drag on the Dodgers’ offense in this NLCS, to the point where the idea of benching the superstar is being openly discussed. For now, Los Angeles is sticking with him in the heart of the order as it tries to climb back into the series.

D-backs’ first base pursuit and offseason picture

On the Arizona front, MLB Trade Rumors relays that the Diamondbacks pursued first baseman Luis García Jr. at the trade deadline. The Washington Nationals were shopping García and ultimately traded him to the New York Yankees. Joel Sherman of The New York Post, cited by the site, reports that Arizona finished as the runner-up in those talks. Sherman then speculates about the Yankees potentially flipping García to the D-backs for a reliever, though that remains purely hypothetical at this stage.

MLB Trade Rumors also publishes an offseason outlook for the Diamondbacks. The site notes that Arizona stayed in the Wild Card race until the final day of the regular season but missed the playoffs for a third straight year. According to that overview, the club is likely working under a tighter budget and faces several glaring needs, particularly on the pitching staff and in the back half of the lineup.

Bullpen shuffle and a reminder of Dodgers-Nats ties

MLB Trade Rumors further reports that veteran reliever Derek Law has elected free agency. The right-hander was designated for assignment by Arizona in mid-September, cleared waivers, and was outrighted to Triple-A before choosing to return to the open market.

In a separate piece, the outlet revisits the 2021 trade that sent Max Scherzer and Trea Turner from Washington to Los Angeles, noting that catcher Keibert Ruiz was one of the four prospects the Nationals received. The site frames its latest article as a poll on whether Washington should now consider trading Ruiz, even though he was viewed as a long-term answer behind the plate when that deal was made.