The Brewers face a critical decision with Joey Ortiz in Game 4 of the NLDS. Ortiz’s poor offensive performance, highlighted by a .482 OPS in September, raises the question of whether to stick with his defensive prowess or risk a substitute with a stronger bat. In a key moment, Ortiz executed a sacrifice bunt instead of attempting a hit, ultimately leading to a missed scoring opportunity. The team must weigh Ortiz’s defensive value against his offensive struggles, especially as they navigate elimination this postseason.
By the Numbers
- Ortiz posted only a .276 on-base percentage and .317 slugging percentage this season.
- He has a 29% success rate on sacrifice bunts over his two seasons, successful only 9 out of 31 attempts.
State of Play
- Ortiz’s struggles put pressure on the Brewers’ strategy as they approach elimination.
- The team previously opted for Ortiz’s glove over a stronger hitter in critical situations.
What’s Next
Going into an elimination game, the Brewers may need to adopt a more aggressive strategy, potentially substituting Ortiz in key run-scoring scenarios to maximize scoring chances.
Bottom Line
The Brewers must prioritize scoring potential over defensive strength to avoid an early exit from the postseason; conservatism could cost them the game.
