Dodgers host Braves in NLDS with Ohtani questions looming

LOS ANGELES – The quest for a three-peat begins Saturday, when the Dodgers host the Atlanta Braves in Game 1 of the 2026 National League Division Series. But before the first pitch at Uniqlo Field at Dodger Stadium, the defending champions have more questions than a team with this much talent should.

The Braves earned their trip west by beating the Phillies in Game 3 of the Wild Card round Thursday night. They flew to Los Angeles afterward and will take part in Media Day at Uniqlo Field on Friday, one day before the series opener.

Dave Roberts has not announced his rotation, but the picture is easy to read. Yoshinobu Yamamoto looks like the Game 1 starter, Blake Snell is the logical choice for Game 2, and Tarik Skubal would take the ball for Game 3 in Atlanta. That is a formidable trio, and the pitching is the least of the Dodgers' concerns.

The roster puzzle: De Paula or Rushing?

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Sep 18, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers designated hitter Josue de Paula (95) celebrates after scoring on a two run home run by Los Angeles Dodgers shortstop Mookie Betts (not pictured) during the eighth inning against the San Francisco Giants at Dodger Stadium.

The most pressing decision may be whether Josue De Paula makes the NLDS roster over Dalton Rushing.

Rushing first felt right elbow and arm irritation while warming up to play catch on August 2, leading to a late scratch and eventually a stint on the injured list. An MRI revealed a slight partial UCL tear along with forearm muscle inflammation. The Dodgers shut him down from throwing to avoid immediate surgery, which ruled him out from catching for the rest of the season.

He has since been activated from the injured list, but strictly as a hitter off the bench. In his return he went hitless in three plate appearances against the San Francisco Giants.

De Paula, meanwhile, has been a revelation. Promoted directly from Double-A, he is hitting .323 with a .500 on-base percentage through his first 11 games. Both are left-handed bats with real power, but De Paula brings the sharper plate discipline, and he has been producing at the highest level.

With Rushing unable to catch, De Paula offers more flexibility and a hotter bat. He also makes sense as insurance if anything happens to the biggest name on the roster.

The Ohtani question

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Sep 23, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers two-way player Shohei Ohtani (17) hits a single during the first inning against the San Diego Padres at UNIQLO Field at Dodger Stadium.

Which brings us to Shohei Ohtani, and one of the stranger situations in managing a superstar in Los Angeles.

Ohtani was activated from the 15-day injured list during the final homestand, and the results have been underwhelming. Over his last five regular-season games he went 5-for-21 (.238) with one extra-base hit, one RBI, one walk and eight strikeouts. That is a hitter still searching for his rhythm.

What made Thursday so notable is what did not happen. Ohtani was nowhere to be seen on the field during the Dodgers' workout and simulated game at Uniqlo Field. He was seen taking batting practice earlier in the week, but that raises the obvious question: what does it tell us about his health?

Ohtani has spoken to reporters just once in almost two months. That was September 7, after a win over the Reds, when he addressed his nagging physical issues and said he would "most likely" not pitch again this season. His focus, he said, would shift exclusively to hitting.

So if the focus is hitting, why wasn't he out there taking swings with the team preparing for the Braves? A player trying to find his timing would seemingly want every live look he can get.

Ohtani makes his own decisions, and the Dodgers have acknowledged in recent memory that it has been difficult to manage him and to get a clear read from him on when he is not feeling physically right. That challenge has brought the team to this point, with Ohtani looking to ramp up and change things around just days before the NLDS.

Every team in October wants a lineup at full strength, and the Dodgers have the talent to win without everything lining up perfectly. But a three-peat is not a given, and the swing of their most important player, along with how forthcoming he and the club are about his condition, will shape how this series is covered and, potentially, how it is won.

Game 1 is Saturday at Uniqlo Field at Dodger Stadium. Not sure what version of Ohtani shows up, may be the biggest storyline of all.