The Achilles Heel of the Dodgers Postseason Downfall

The Los Ángeles Dodgers postseason is over. There will be no three-peat. The Milwaukee Brewers swept the reigning World Series Champions out of the National League Championship Series in dominating fashion. The Brewers beat the Dodgers in every facet of the game. However, there was one aspect of the series that stood out above everything else. It was the lack of offensive firepower and timely hitting that plagued the Dodgers this entire postseason, and it served to be the biggest part of their downfall.

To be fair, there were warning signs in late July and August. However, when Josue De Paula arrived in September, the offense seemed awakened. However, Los Angeles’ swoon began again in October when they faced quality pitching. The Dodgers’ batting average as a team was under .200. They were five-for-43 with runners in scoring position for the entire postseason.

In the NLCS, they were 4-27. They had only four extra-base hits, and just one homer. They left 24 runners on base, had several runners on third and fewer than two outs, and could not get any home. Los Angeles left 50 men on base this postseason and couldn’t capitalize on very many opportunities given to them. This inability to score runs is similar to the recent years when they just couldn’t get the “big hit.” As a result, it forces the pitching staff to try to be perfect, and even with four aces on the mound, the Dodgers couldn’t do it.

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Oct 15, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers third baseman Max Muncy (13), first baseman Freddie Freeman (5), and outfielder Kyle Tucker (23) look on from the dugout during the ninth inning against the Milwaukee Brewers in game four of the NLCS for the 2026 MLB Playoffs at Uniqlo Field at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

It was an open secret that Shohei Ohtani was less than 100%. The knee made it very difficult for him to generate any power from his legs. The sore bicep didn’t help either. One wonders if the mechanical changes he made in his stance to compensate for the pain affected his plate discipline. With the exception of the Game Four home run, Ohtani was beaten on fastballs in the strike zone and sliders out of it.

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Oct 15, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Shohei Ohtani (17) reacts after striking out during the first inning against the Milwaukee Brewers in game four of the NLCS for the 2026 MLB Playoffs at Uniqlo Field at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY

But Ohtani was not the only one who struggled to make good contact. Catcher Will Smith was almost absent this postseason as well. Aside from a two-run double, the All-Star catcher had a lot of strikeouts this postseason. He hit behind Ohtani in the lineup for the majority of the lineup in the NLCS, which only served to exacerbate both players’ struggles. Smith can usually be relied upon in October for high-quality at-bats. Who could forget his go-ahead homer in Game Seven of last year’s World Series? It remains to be seen whether the neck injury that sidelined him for months had anything to do with the lack of offensive production.

As a whole, it felt like the Dodgers’ at-bat quality was significantly down in the NLCS. The Brewers’ pitchers were not forced to throw a lot of pitches per hitter. They induced soft contact and a lot of swing-and-miss. As the later innings ensued, the Dodgers’ swings got longer, and they went fishing outside the zone, trying to hit a three-run homer with no one on base. They were not patient and didn’t foul off a lot of pitches. Los Angeles normally makes the opposing pitcher work. Instead, it was the Brewers that made the Dodgers sweat.

The one offensive bright spot for the postseason was Kyle Tucker. He was the only hitter to hit above .300. He worked the count, got his walks, and his approach at the plate was to hit line drives, and it paid off. Considering what a disappointing regular season he had, it was interesting to see his adjustments. Unfortunately, the Dodgers needed more than a one-man wrecking crew.

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Oct 15, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Kyle Tucker (23) doubles during the sixth inning against the Milwaukee Brewers in game four of the NLCS for the 2026 MLB Playoffs at Uniqlo Field at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images

It’s been said that whoever is the healthiest and the hottest will be the most successful in October. It is largely true, and the Dodgers were neither. The formidable lineup was slumping through most of the postseason, and the starting rotation couldn’t make up for it. The long and short is this: The Brewers outhit, outpitched, outplayed, and out-managed the Dodgers, and that is why they are headed to the World Series.

Main Photo Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images