While it’s exceedingly rare for a team to blow a 3-0 series lead, it’s obviously preferable for the Dodgers to end the NLCS as soon as possible to prevent the Brewers from getting any life. Well, they certainly didn’t thanks in large part to starting pitcher and designated hitter Shohei Ohtani, who probably had one of the greatest playoff games of all time. He went six shutout innings and broke out of whatever struggles he was having with three homers, including one hit out of the stadium.
All you can do is laugh.
The bullpen did manage to make it a bit exciting towards the end, but really Ohtani was just too much as they clinched it with a 5-1 victory.
What a view.
One of the few pluses of playoff broadcasts is these shots are constant.
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— Chad Moriyama (@chadmoriyama.bsky.social) October 17, 2025 at 3:15 PM
Let’s go, man.
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After some gamesmanship throughout the series about exactly when the Brewers would deploy Jose Quintana, Pat Murphy decided to go traditional for once and just give him a standard Game 4 start.
Coming off the mound, Shohei Ohtani stepped up to the plate, worked a full count, and promptly drilled a slurve deep into the right-field bleachers to make it 1-0 early.
Homering after just striking out three batters? Only Shohei. pic.twitter.com/6ehcpW6v9L
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) October 18, 2025
This baseball almost left the stadium ? https://t.co/AQnlHLooah pic.twitter.com/iYWW7VvUnj
— MLB (@MLB) October 18, 2025
This was a MONSTER SHOT from Shohei Ohtani ?? pic.twitter.com/zRSSp6VcAe
— MLB (@MLB) October 18, 2025
Unicorn shit.
“Every pitcher in the National League before 2022 did this. ☝️?”
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— Chad Moriyama (@chadmoriyama.bsky.social) October 17, 2025 at 3:28 PM
After that exciting start, Mookie Betts followed with a single to left and Will Smith singled to center to corner the runners. Freddie Freeman then came up and Quintana surprisingly got him to strikeout, but Tommy Edman continued to hit with a single up the middle to make it 2-0 and re-corner the runners. Teoscar Hernandez then hit a nubber to first, which was an out but also good enough to score Dills to make it 3-0 and advance Tommy to second.
Tommy and Teoscar make it 3-0! pic.twitter.com/rq0k4NrVBa
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) October 18, 2025
That brought up Max Muncy with a runner still in scoring position, who just missed a mile high flyball to right to end that threat.
In the 2nd, he issued a one-out walk to Shohei, but otherwise looked like he was maybe settling in. But he started the 3rd by giving up back-to-back singles to Will Smith and Freddie Freeman to corner the runners, and Pat Murphy had seen enough with the season on the line.
Unfortunately, Chad Patrick entered and prevented the Dodgers from adding on, getting back-to-back strikeouts and a groundout to end that threat. Patrick continued to dominate in the 4th with back-to-back strikeouts, but then he fell behind Ohtani with a 3-1 count, and he absolutely torched a ball 469 feet over the pavilion in right to make it 4-0.
SHOHEI OHTANI HITS ONE OUT OF DODGER STADIUM. pic.twitter.com/LC93DjY27U
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) October 18, 2025
“OH MY GOODNESS. SHOHEI OHTANI. WOW.” pic.twitter.com/eCxAluBya7
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) October 18, 2025
THIS BASEBALL DISAPPEARED https://t.co/9iWq6xoUqf pic.twitter.com/UYreWwEfjI
— MLB (@MLB) October 18, 2025
We ask you to please look at where this baseball landed 😮 https://t.co/9iWq6xoUqf pic.twitter.com/6cUV40QSFs
— MLB (@MLB) October 18, 2025
Us watching Shohei. pic.twitter.com/1Lefp4YroA
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) October 18, 2025
Dying.
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— Chad Moriyama (@chadmoriyama.bsky.social) October 17, 2025 at 4:15 PM
Just absurd stuff.
After he got the last out of the 4th, he then got a clean 5th, and one in the 6th as well. Aside from Ohtani, Patrick really shut the door and gave them a chance.
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On the bump for the Dodgers was none other than Shohei Ohtani on very long rest, which did give me some concern in terms of how sharp he’d be. Indeed, the fine command wasn’t as great as we’ve seen before, but it was plenty.
Shohei did start by issuing a walk on a full count to start the game in the 1st, but he followed that by striking out three in a row to end any thought of a rally.
Three strikeouts for Shohei in the first! pic.twitter.com/o1Wt8ovATU
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) October 18, 2025
He then had a much easier 2nd, cruising through a 10-pitch frame, but he issued another full-count walk to start the 3rd, this time to Blake Perkins. Fortunately, he rebounded with a strikeout and then got a lineout to Enrique Hernandez in left, who doubled off Perkins making a TOOTBLAN off first.
Kiké doubles ’em up! pic.twitter.com/3gQrGfBQNw
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) October 18, 2025
The 4th then started ominously with a double from Jackson Chourio, but after a hard-hit groundout, Ohtani struck out the next two for a scoreless frame. In the 5th, he got a flyout and then followed with two more strikeouts, as he finally looked like he was finding the range a bit. He continued in the 6th with two more strikeout and a flyout to cruise into the late innings.
Shohei Ohtani works around a leadoff double with two nasty strikeouts ? pic.twitter.com/aB8bOKCH2e
— MLB (@MLB) October 18, 2025
Two home runs AND eight strikeouts 🔥
Shohei Ohtani is having a #Postseason performance for the ages! pic.twitter.com/cX0CQ3yZO7
— MLB (@MLB) October 18, 2025
MAKE IT 10 STRIKEOUTS FOR SHOHEI OHTANI 🦄 pic.twitter.com/E3RJuLXuve
— MLB (@MLB) October 18, 2025
Dave Roberts decided to push him a bit in the 7th, but he looked like he was fatiguing a bit. He issued a full-count walk and then gave up a single up the middle on a full count to put a pair on.
That was the end of the line for Ohtani, who did look rusty but just overpowered them with stuff: 6 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 3 BB, 10 K, 100 Pitches.
MAKE IT 10 STRIKEOUTS FOR SHOHEI OHTANI ? pic.twitter.com/E3RJuLXuve
— MLB (@MLB) October 18, 2025
What a performance!
Shohei Ohtani leaves to a standing ovation at Dodger Stadium ? pic.twitter.com/WmemcDptd9
— MLB (@MLB) October 18, 2025
Of course, that zero is still up there because Alex Vesia entered in relief and got pinch-hitter Andrew Vaughn to pop up to the infield and then got a double play from Sal Frelick to escape that jam with the shutout still intact.
The @Dodgers are SIX outs away from the National League pennant ? pic.twitter.com/lL82Kut4rE
— MLB (@MLB) October 18, 2025
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Back to the Brewers, it was Trevor Megill next up in the 7th, and he got a pair of strikeouts and a flyout in the inning.
The problem?
Shohei came up again, and for the THIRD TIME OF THE NIGHT, he hit a missile into the stands to make it 5-0.
SHOHEI OHTANI, YOU ARE INCREDIBLE! pic.twitter.com/jythqTWUI4
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) October 18, 2025
SHOH3I https://t.co/h8g3e6MgxO pic.twitter.com/DTu0tntA3J
— MLB (@MLB) October 18, 2025
lol
It was Jared Koenig in the 8th, and the Dodgers unfortunately didn’t get it around to Ohtani again. After a pair of strikeouts, Teoscar and Muncy tried with a single and a walk, respectively, but Enrique flew out to deep center to close the book on the bats.
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The Dodgers pen did manage to make it a bit exciting in the 8th again, as human gasoline can Blake Treinen entered and gave up a double to Caleb Durbin, who then stole third before he walked Andruw Monasterio to welcome the nerves back to the game. He did rebound with a strikeout, but Dave understandably saw enough — and he should’ve just went with somebody like Emmet Sheehan here to begin with.
Dave turned to Anthony Banda, who got a grounder to second, but Brice Turang beat the double-play turn to first for the Brewers’ first run to make it 5-1.
A single from Chourio (again) followed, but Banda got Christian Yelich to bounce out weakly back to him to end that threat.
With three outs to go and a four-run lead, Dave wasn’t taking any chances, and it was Roki Sasaki in the 9th on back-to-back days for the first time. He didn’t look his best either, giving up a lead-off single, and two hard-hit outs, but he got the three outs and the Dodgers are going to the World Series.
SHOHEI OHTANI STARTS IT … ROKI SASAKI ENDS IT
THE DODGERS ARE WORLD SERIES-BOUND #CLINCHED
(MLB x @BudweiserUSA) pic.twitter.com/Hk8DnBKDKY
— MLB (@MLB) October 18, 2025
THE LOS ANGELES DODGERS ARE YOUR 2025 NATIONAL LEAGUE CHAMPIONS! pic.twitter.com/rfn4jxIGXW
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) October 18, 2025
What a Sho.
Shohei Ohtani is your 2025 NLCS MVP! pic.twitter.com/VGX8LlFt9R
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) October 18, 2025
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An NLCS sweep, four games to none over the Brewers. Neato.
With their place in the World Series secured, the Dodgers will now have to wait until October 24 for Game 1 of the World Series on FOX. The time of the game is to be determined, and so is the opponent between the Mariners and Blue Jays.
