Shohei Ohtani launched a ball into the second deck in right-center at American Family Field on Saturday, Oct. 10. He sent another near the video board during an extended batting practice session, his attempt to snap a 2-for-13 slump before the National League Championship Series.

The four-time MVP faces Brewers ace Jacob Misiorowski in Game 1 on Sunday, Oct. 11, at 5 p.m. PT on FOX. Misiorowski posted the lowest ERA in the majors this season at 1.80 and is the NL Cy Young Award favorite.

Dodgers hitting coach Aaron Bates said the field session was Ohtani's idea. Ohtani and Mookie Betts had been talking hitting the previous few days, and Ohtani wanted a new backdrop to work against, the Los Angeles Times reported. Ohtani had taken batting practice on a field only once before this season.

Bates said the mechanical focus was on keeping Ohtani's top hand from rolling over too early and sticking his finish to stay on the ball longer.

Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said Saturday he believes in Ohtani's talent and thinks the days off between series helped him rest his body and reset his swing. Roberts said he would never count Ohtani out.

Roberts pointed to Ohtani's plate discipline in the NL Division Series against Atlanta. Ohtani went 2-for-13 with two singles in the first two games, and his struggles pushed him down to the No. 5 spot in the lineup for Game 3 and No. 4 for Game 4. But his biggest NLDS moment came without a swing: he drew a five-pitch walk, stole second and scored on a pair of Braves errors in Game 4.

Misiorowski said he won't change his approach despite Ohtani's cold stretch. "It's still October," the Brewers pitcher said. "You've got to still pitch like he's the best in the world and trust your stuff and go beat him at his game, and do your job."

Roster set at 13 and 13

The Dodgers finalized their 26-man NLCS roster Sunday morning with 13 pitchers and 13 position players, one more arm than they carried in the NLDS.

Left-hander Justin Wrobleski was added to bolster the bullpen, according to the LA Times. Wrobleski, a first-time All-Star in 2026, finished the regular season 12-5 with a 3.66 ERA over 140 innings and allowed just one run in his last five appearances covering 8⅔ innings after returning from a forearm injury.

Pinch-runner and defensive replacement Hyeseong Kim was dropped. Kim appeared in just one NLDS game, entering as a ninth-inning defensive sub in Game 4 and never running.

Miguel Rojas, 37, stayed on the roster despite a back injury sustained in NLDS Game 3. An MRI showed no new damage, and Rojas received a cortisone injection before participating in Saturday's workout at American Family Field.

Roberts said he valued the infield depth Rojas provides alongside Kiké Hernández and Tommy Edman. He also said keeping rookie Josue De Paula's bat off the bench was a priority. De Paula drew a pinch-hit walk in the NLDS Game 4 rally that set up Andy Pages' go-ahead single.

Skubal vs. Misiorowski in Game 1

Tarik Skubal starts Game 1 for the Dodgers. Yoshinobu Yamamoto, last year's World Series Most Valuable Player, takes the ball for Game 2 on Monday at American Family Field.

The Brewers won an MLB-best 103 games during the regular season, earning home-field advantage over the Dodgers' 100 wins. The two clubs are meeting in the postseason for the fourth time in nine years. The Dodgers swept Milwaukee in the 2025 NLCS, a series in which Ohtani hit three home runs and struck out 10 batters in six scoreless innings in the clinching Game 4.

The series shifts to Dodger Stadium for Game 3 on Wednesday, Oct. 14, at 5 p.m. PT. Game 4 is Thursday, Oct. 15, at 6 p.m. Game 5, if necessary, is Friday, Oct. 16, at 6 p.m.