Dodgers Interview: Friedman Exudes Confidence Before NLDS
Why the Dodgers like their staff, how Ohtani fits, and what Kershaw told him
PHILADELPHIA — The Dodgers’ president of baseball operations met with reporters on Saturday and walked through the big questions before Game 1. He praised the rotation depth, explained how Roki Sasaki became a relief weapon, and talked about Shohei Ohtani’s workload in October. He also gave a window into Will Smith’s ramp-up and Clayton Kershaw’s role.
“We talked about it before the last round,” Friedman said when asked about the club’s starting pitching. “One real strength of this roster is our starting pitching, because when you’re in a position where Emmet Sheehan can pitch out of the pen, Clayton Kershaw, last round Glasnow, it speaks to that depth. Those guys are really talented, and I can see them factoring in and helping us win a series.”
On Sasaki’s rapid impact after returning: “Early in the season the delivery was out of whack a little bit. We’ve seen it with guys who have hamstring or oblique injuries. In the buildup there’s subconscious protection, deliveries get out of whack, and that can become muscle memory. You couple that with a player coming over from Japan, and it takes time to build a relationship and create trust. Then some shoulder soreness compounded it. The biggest thing was to get him feeling right. Once that happened, we attacked the delivery and tried to get it back in place. It took a little while, but once we saw it click, it was like, ‘Okay, this is a very viable option to get really important outs.’”
How Ohtani’s two-way value plays in October: “It’s certainly helpful. We can’t fathom what it’s like to do both things, especially with the added intensity of the postseason. Getting a day off between Games 1 and 2, after Game 2, that’s helpful. It’s taxing on everybody, and then you layer on his ability to do both and it’s challenging. I’m glad last year he got to experience the adrenaline with just hitting, and now we get to layer both on. In some weird way it’s beneficial, and the days off are helpful.”
Friedman was asked about Smith, who missed September with a hand injury but could appear in this series. “The last two years going into this year he’s had great years, but a little bit of a falloff late in the year, so we’ve been conscious of workload,” he said. “Having Rushing helped with that. Managing it a little better allowed him to sustain that high level of play longer. Unfortunately he had the fluke foul ball off his hand, but he’s in a good spot. We’ve been able to ramp him up and get him some live at-bats. There’s no replicating what you go through in a nine-inning game, so we’ll figure out how to do that and get him in position to resume what he does because he’s such an important part of our team.” Long term? “He’ll continue to be a very important part of our team. I’m focused on right now.”
He lit up when the questions turned back to Ohtani the pitcher. “I’ve said this a lot: he’s underrated,” Friedman said. “I don’t think the human brain can comprehend what he does and how difficult it is and how elite he is at both. The passion he has for hitting and the passion he has for pitching doesn’t seem like there’s enough to go around, but there is with him. Watching his rehab and buildup, how focused he was every day to put himself in position not just to pitch, but to pitch really well. Nothing surprises me anymore, but everything still surprises me. He’s one of a kind.”
When did he see Ohtani all the way back? “You could see glimpses. Certain games a couple of pitches were there and a couple not, then the next game other things were working. It’s about syncing it up. Once he had the full arsenal working, he’s a really tough at-bat, and the compete is so great that it equals really good things.”
Facing three left-handed starters doesn’t scare him, but he didn’t undersell the challenge. “It’s not even just the left-handedness. They’re really good,” Friedman said. “One of their strengths is their rotation. One of our strengths is our rotation. Watching those two worlds collide will be great. There’s some nostalgia around these kinds of starting-pitching matchups. We’ve gotten a chance to see them a few times, which is helpful. Our guys do a really good job of understanding our game plan and sticking to it. Our offense has come to life. It’s not an easy lineup to navigate, but those guys are a real challenge.”
He addressed Kershaw’s move to the bullpen with notable respect. “There’s always trepidation with someone of that stature,” Friedman said. “To Kersh’s credit, he cuts that off by saying, ‘I’m here to win, whatever it takes.’ He’s loved watching these guys compete. He’s done really well this year. Usually when a guy’s on his way out you can see it and the performance backs it up. That’s not the case with Kersh. He was a big part of our success this year. He made the conversation easy by saying he just wants to help this team win whatever way he can.”
Friedman also touched on professional friendships amid the rivalry. “Dave Dombrowski and I have had a really good relationship,” he said. “We’ve rarely been in the same division and have only squared off once in the playoffs. We communicate really well. There are certain guys it’s easier to trust when they say something, and Dave is at the top of that list.”
All told, he kept the focus on depth, options, and the rare talent at the top of the roster. “Our starters are a real strength,” Friedman said. “Roki is in a really good spot. Will is close and important. Shohei is one of a kind, and the days off help us support what he’s doing. The Phillies’ rotation is really good. So is ours. We’re looking forward to watching it play out.”
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