Scout’s Kirk Gibson comp for Shohei Ohtani sets stakes for incredible Dodgers NLCS Game 3

With the Los Angeles Dodgers down 0-2 to the Milwaukee Brewers in the NLCS, all eyes are on superstar Shohei Ohtani, who has struggled mightily at the plate. It's abundantly clear that Ohtani is not healthy, as he is dealing with neck, right biceps and left knee injuries.

But Ohtani told Dodgers brass that he can play and be in the lineup for Game 3. Now, we shall see if he can overcome these ailments and have his big moment in the postseason this year to help the Dodgers come back in the series. If not, the Dodgers might be going home earlier than expected.

Scout compares Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani to Kirk Gibson

One American League scout who spoke with FanSided compared Ohtani to Dodgers legend Kirk Gibson. Like Ohtani, Gibson was dealing with multiple lower body injuries in the 1988 World Series, which limited him to just one plate appearance in the series.

"He’s not (healthy)," the scout said of Ohtani. "You remember when Kirk Gibson tried to hit with no legs? That seems to be similar here."

However, the silver lining is that Gibson was able to come off the bench and deliver a dramatic, walk-off home run against the Athletics and closer Dennis Eckersley with Los Angeles trailing in the first game. The Dodgers are hoping that Ohtani, who is starting in Game 3, can produce a similar moment to help kick start their come back.

Ohtani needs to be honest with the Dodgers on whether he can actually play or not. They need his bat to get going in a hurry or else it could be a short series for Los Angeles against a hungry Brewers team.

"(Ohtani) better or (the Dodgers) are done in five (games)," as the scout put it.

Scout breaks down Ohtani's struggles

Ohtani has not hit a home run since August 18 and batted .200 in the month of September. A brief stint on the IL in the regular season's final month didn't help his hitting struggles, either. He is batting just .150 (3-for-20) in the postseason with zero homers or RBI.

As one National League scout said: "It's just not as explosive. Hitting is not an easy thing to do anyways. It's a combination of (Ohtani) being pitched better, likely not being 100 percent (healthy), and a little, even if minuscule, confidence decrease because of a myriad of reasons."

And as the AL scout previously mentioned, Ohtani is not hitting with his lower-half at the moment, which is a result of his left knee injury. The reality is that Ohtani may not be able to overcome his injuries this year. This could be the reason why the Dodgers don't three-peat if they ultimately get eliminated by the Brewers in the NLCS.

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