The autumn baseball journey of the Los Angeles Dodgers, who emerged as a new "Evil Empire" in Major League Baseball (MLB), came to a futile end as they were swept in four games in the National League Championship Series (NLCS).

The Dodgers were eliminated after a 4-6 loss to the Milwaukee Brewers in Game 4 of the NLCS held on October 16, handing their opponents a ticket to the World Series.

Shohei Ohtani, who had been struggling with lingering knee and arm injuries, hit a 3-run home run in the 2nd inning and let out an unusual roar, but the team ultimately failed to add more runs and could not prevent a comeback defeat.

Amid contrasting fortunes between the packing-up Dodgers and Milwaukee, which reached the World Series for the first time in 44 years, the managers of both teams united in acknowledging Ohtani's fighting spirit and presence.

In his post-game interview, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts defended Ohtani, saying, "When Ohtani expressed his emotions toward the dugout after hitting the home run, it was an outlet for the anger and frustration he had been holding in. That was the best-hit ball he's produced in the last two to three months." He added, "Expressing those emotions shows how much he wants to win and how much he cares about the team. He is human, too."

Regarding Ohtani pushing to play despite his injuries, Roberts expressed firm trust, stating, "He is the best player in the world, but he is not at 100% health right now. I deeply respect him for not running away and trying to play even though he wasn't at 100%." He continued, "Failing to produce results is not the responsibility of any single player, but all of us. I always trust Ohtani."

He offered a bitter overall assessment of the series, saying, "Losing always feels bad, but when you are beaten thoroughly, it's somehow easier to accept. That's the beauty of sports—no matter how thoroughly you prepare and how badly you want it, results are never guaranteed."

The Dodgers clubhouse, which had been filled only with the scent of champagne for the past two years, was enveloped in an atmosphere of quiet acceptance of defeat despite deep disappointment.

Veteran infielder Miguel Rojas, who will retire from active play at the end of this season, packed his bags calmly, saying, "This isn't the ending we wanted because we wanted to finish the final game of the season with a victory. No matter how many talented players you have, winning is never guaranteed in baseball."

The Dodgers' batting lineup suffered from a severe slump in this series, going 5-for-43 with runners in scoring position.

Star hitter Mookie Betts lowered his head and said, "We created many opportunities, but we just failed to produce results," while Freddie Freeman also conceded the sweep, stating, "Milwaukee played great baseball. We have to tip our hats to them. They did really well."

Following championships in 2024 and 2025, the fatigue of the squad, which went all out on the autumn baseball stage for the third consecutive year, reached its peak.

Infielder Max Muncy confessed, "We poured everything onto the field for three straight years. It feels like the train has finally run out of steam."

Tarik Skubal, who started Game 1, added, "Looking at what the Dodgers have done over the past two years, winning looks easy, but standing at the top of the World Series is the hardest thing in baseball."

Winning manager Pat Murphy of Milwaukee also praised the opposing team's core player.

Murphy praised, "Ohtani is undoubtedly the best player in the world. He is a player who showed us the greatest performance an individual could possibly display against us last year."

Reflecting on the nerve-wracking moment when he allowed a home run in the 2nd inning that day, Murphy confessed, "I thought we woke a giant. To myself, I thought, 'Oh no, here comes what we've been dreading.'"

At the same time, he expressed relief, saying, "However, our bullpen pitchers who took the mound afterwards, such as Jojo Romero and Aaron Ashby, locked down the crisis and did their jobs. That was the secret to our victory."

(Photo: AP, Yonhap News)