'Bench Ohtani' vs. 'absolutely not': US baseball divided over Dodgers star's slump

A deep hitting slump by Shohei Ohtani, the 32-year-old Los Angeles Dodgers star from Japan, has sparked a debate in American baseball circles over whether he should be dropped from the starting lineup.

Japanese sports outlet Lon Sports reported Wednesday that US media figures and baseball personalities are divided over the question.

Ohtani went 0-for-4 in Game 2 of the National League Championship Series against the Milwaukee Brewers. Through six postseason games this year, he is hitting .150 — just 3 hits in 20 at-bats — with no home runs or RBIs.

With the slump deepening, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts has left open the possibility of benching Ohtani. According to The Athletic, Roberts said ahead of Game 3 of the championship series that he planned to speak with Ohtani and find the best path forward for both the player and the team.

Amid the debate, USA Today reporter Josh Peter argued that Ohtani should be removed from the starting lineup. In a column published Tuesday, Peter said the team's need to win must take priority over deference to Ohtani, and that the lineup needed a change. He added that Ohtani's current form — not his reputation or past performance — should determine his playing time, and suggested that 21-year-old rookie Josue De Paula could start at designated hitter in Ohtani's place.

Former World Baseball Classic US national team manager Mark DeRosa took the opposite view, arguing against benching Ohtani. DeRosa emphasized that the entire Dodgers lineup has struggled, not just Ohtani, and said it would be wrong to single out one player for blame. He maintained that Ohtani remains capable of changing the course of a game at any moment, making it premature to pull him from the lineup.

Japanese media have also taken note of the American debate. Lon Sports said the argument is spreading, citing both US outlets calling for Ohtani to be benched and baseball figures pushing back against that view.