Shohei Ohtani became one of the leading topics of the 2026 National League Championship Series for the wrong reasons, prompting a surprising admission about his performance for the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Ohtani struggled throughout the series against the Milwaukee Brewers as he went 3-for-13 (.231) with one home run and three RBIs in four games as the Dodgers suffered a shocking sweep.

According to Buster Olney from ESPN, Ohtani said through an interpreter that Milwaukee was strong throughout its roster and deserved credit for its approach. He also acknowledged that the Brewers exposed certain parts of his game during the series.

“The Brewers were overall strong and a very good team, and it really exposed some of the parts of me as a player, and got to give some credit to that,” Ohtani explained.

It could be argued that Ohtani gave Milwaukee too much credit. He possesses very few obvious weaknesses, and the injuries he managed during the second half of the season may have been the greater problem.

Ohtani, however, refused to use his physical condition as an excuse.

Brewers pitchers struck him out six times during the series and made him appear uncomfortable in several at-bats. Their ability to attack him successfully will give Ohtani plenty to examine before next season.

Ohtani did not contribute on the mound during the postseason after explaining that he intended to focus exclusively on hitting because of problems with his right biceps and left knee.

Those injuries also prevented him from being fully healthy at the plate during October.

The four-time MVP was clearly not operating at 100 percent. Ohtani endured the worst postseason of his career, hitting .192 with one home run, three RBIs, three runs scored and 10 strikeouts in eight games.

Ohtani’s willingness to admit that Milwaukee exposed parts of his game demonstrates why he has remained among MLB’s most accomplished players.

Ohtani did not dismiss the result as bad luck or redirect responsibility toward his injuries. He examined what happened and credited the pitchers who defeated him.

That accountability will matter as he studies how the Brewers attacked him.

Ohtani has repeatedly shown an ability to make adjustments, whether refining his swing, improving his approach against certain pitches or adapting to the demands of performing as both a hitter and pitcher.

His discipline away from games should help him identify why Milwaukee created so many uncomfortable at-bats. The Brewers changed looks, executed their pitches and refused to let his reputation alter their plan.

Ohtani must respond by becoming more selective without losing the aggression that makes him dangerous.

His competitive drive should make this difficult October an important source of motivation. Ohtani is unlikely to accept that the weaknesses Milwaukee uncovered must remain permanent.

He has the patience to study failure, the work ethic to address it and the confidence to return without allowing one series to redefine him.

The Dodgers need his health to improve, but they also need the version of Ohtani willing to confront his shortcomings directly. His admission suggests that process has already begun.