Steve Webb
LOS ANGELES — The Dodgers extended their winning streak to seven games Tuesday night with a 3-1 victory over the Braves, but for manager Dave Roberts, the real headline was the emotional return of Dustin May to the big league mound. May pitched five scoreless innings in his first MLB start since 2022, showing poise, power, and perspective beyond the box score.
“What really stood out is, I just think the stuff tonight was really good,” Roberts said after the game. “He filled up the strike zone — the sinker, the slider. The pace, the rhythm of the game for him. He really managed his emotions well.”
Roberts admitted he was prepared to see a more jittery May in his return but was impressed by how calm and composed the 26-year-old looked. “I thought there was going to be a lot more anxiousness, nerves, that might reflect in some pitch execution, but he bottled it up really well. Just really happy to see him get a win, complete five innings, and even still wanting for more — which is a good sign.”
That emotional maturity, Roberts noted, is a direct result of the grueling journey May has faced over the last two years. “All these guys try to be great and try to be perfect,” he said. “But I think at some point, you just gotta go out there and compete. He’s not really striving for perfection — he’s out there being grateful that he has an opportunity to pitch and be healthy. He’s not as hard on himself as I recall in years past. He just gets to the next pitch a lot better.”
After the game, Roberts kept his message to May simple. “I just told him to enjoy this,” he said. “Enjoy this win, this night. He pitched a heck of a ballgame. I want him wanting more and just congratulated him on a great outing.”
While May’s performance was the emotional anchor of the night, the turning point came on Mookie Betts’ sixth-inning home run off former Red Sox teammate Chris Sale — a swing that flipped the momentum and ultimately won the game. “Mookie’s hit was huge,” Roberts said. “Anytime you’ve got Sale on the mound, it’s going to be tough — it’s going to be a grind. He was trying to be their stopper and was dominant, and Mookie just took a really good swing on a tough pitch.”
Roberts credited the offense’s late rally to patience and good execution. “Shohei hit a pitch — kind of just stuck his bat out there and got a base hit. Then Mookie scooped a really good pitch down below, and he put up two points. Then [Will] Smith got a fastball up in the zone. At that point, you could tell Sale was trying to rear back and get through it, and they yanked him. It just happened really quick.”
As the Dodgers continue to roll, Roberts acknowledged just how impressive their start has been — especially considering the distractions that come with being the defending champions. “It’s certainly not easy,” he said. “Expectations, going across continents, the hoopla with opening week, playing two really good ballclubs, two Cy Young winners. All that stuff — it’s tough to win a handful of ballgames, let alone win all of them.”
Still, he praised his team’s focus and ability to reset after each game. “I think we just do a really good job of kind of resetting and getting ready for the next day. We’ve got Elder tomorrow, we’ve got Snell going, and I expect Blake to throw the baseball really well.”
The Dodgers’ pitching staff, from starters to relievers, has been a key to their early-season success. Roberts made a point to highlight the consistency and resilience of the group. “I think the starters have done a really nice job,” he said. “And the bullpen guys have really held their own — being ready when called upon, being able to pitch back-to-back.”
Two young relievers, in particular, caught his eye. “Casparius and Dreyer — these two young pitchers have really picked us up. They don’t show their youth. And the guys are just willing to take the baseball at any point in time. I don’t know how many guys have finished games for us, but there’s a handful, and it just doesn’t matter. That’s allowing me to kind of navigate workload and usage.”
In injury updates, Roberts shared that both Daniel Hudson and Evan Phillips will be heading to Oklahoma City on Thursday for rehab assignments. “I think Phillips is going to go one inning and then [Tony] Gonsolin will throw two innings,” he said.
As for Freddie Freeman, who was scratched from the lineup earlier this week with some tightness, Roberts noted that “he came through well” after his latest round of pregame work. “I think the odds are probably higher — I’ve got it 50/50 for tomorrow,” he said with a smile.
Seven games into the 2025 campaign, the Dodgers have yet to lose — and they’re doing it with a balance of star power, depth, and belief. Tuesday night’s win was just the latest reminder that this team can weather mistakes, injuries, and even emotional weight — and still come out on top.
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