Dodgers Interview: Roberts Charts the Way Forward for Dodgers
LOS ANGELES — The Dodgers come home with a 2–0 edge and decisions to make before Game 3. Dave Roberts sounded steady, appreciative of the details, and focused on fit over flash. He praised the way the roster has answered tough moments and outlined how he’ll navigate the next one at Chavez Ravine.
First up was Will Smith. Roberts kept the door open. “There is hope,” he said. “He came out of it well. I haven’t seen him yet today. We’ll see him at the workout and I’ll make that decision tomorrow. Each day it’s gotten better, and I feel more confident that he’ll be able to start.”
Roki Sasaki’s role drew a clear answer with some nuance. “He’s definitely the primary option” in the ninth, Roberts said. “There’s a buildup. We have to win a certain number of games and he’s not going to close every game. It’s just not feasible. You’ve got to use other guys. If it makes sense, he’ll definitely be finishing games.” The balance matters because “this is something he’s never done and you’re expecting to go a few more weeks, so all that stuff has to play in.”
The bullpen plan, big picture, is about spreading the load. “If there is a world where you can use five pitchers and finish a postseason and win the postseason, a lot of people would sign up for that,” Roberts said. “But that’s impossible. You’ve got to use your roster at certain times, pick spots where you feel best, and live with whatever outcome. The more you see guys and give opportunities, you see how they respond, and it helps my decision-making going forward.”
On the lineup against Aaron Nola, Roberts was direct. “It doesn’t do a whole lot outside of Max Muncy will be in the lineup,” he said. “Miguel Rojas won’t be in there. Then I’ve got to make the decision on Will versus Ben to start the game, but that has no bearing on who their starting pitcher is.”
Keeping Bryce Harper and Kyle Schwarber quiet has taken a specific recipe. “We’ve attacked those guys,” Roberts said. “We haven’t been scared off using the fastball. We crowd them just enough. We go soft just enough. We change eye level. Up to this point we’ve done a nice job of keeping those guys at bay. We still have work to do and we’ll try to keep those guys asleep.”
Could Roki and Emmet Sheehan handle back-to-backs if the series demands it? Roberts acknowledged the unknowns. “It’s all uncharted territory,” he said. “There’s a balance of trying to build some consistency to get to the next graduation point as far as back-to-backs. There’s no guarantee what the stuff’s going to be like. We talk about it daily to put our players in the best position. I’d love to have Roki throw every single day if he could, but that’s not feasible.” The telltales come from the staff’s eyes and ears: “Talking to the coaches, their catch play, how they’re feeling, how the ball’s coming out versus other days with more rest.”
He raved about Mookie Betts’ baseball brain after the wheel play. “He’s up there,” Roberts said, pairing Betts with names like Roberto Alomar and Omar Vizquel. “As an outfielder for most of his career to come into the infield, he’s got a lot of feel and belief in his ability. He made a really great play yesterday. We talk baseball all the time. Offensively, defensively, approach. He and I have a unique relationship.”
On Blake Treinen and trust, Roberts will read the heartbeat as much as the box score. “The look of a player matters to me,” he said. “I felt he was gaining some momentum before that last one. I’ll check in on him. There are ways of how you go about an outing, successful or not. How a player carries themselves matters. I just didn’t see that edge last night that I’ve seen many times.”
Injury updates came next. “Miggy made a great, aggressive, heady play to get Trea at third,” Roberts said. “His hamstring tightened a little. He won’t start tomorrow, but I’m sure he’ll be ready for whatever we need in the game.” Depth gives him cover: “I feel comfortable with Max. I feel comfortable with Tommy starting the game. I feel comfortable with Kiké coming in at some point if needed.”
Finally, Roberts explained why he stuck with Emmet in a cauldron. “It went back to his last outing against the Reds out of the pen,” he said. “Mentally and physically he was in a good spot. It allowed me not to run from him in another big spot. In that environment it was a big spot. I trusted he could go out there and make pitches. The stuff was still real good. He wasn’t going to run from those guys at the top. I trusted him, and in that moment he was the best option.”
For Roberts, the way forward is clear. The Dodgers will lean on roles that make sense, gloves that travel, and the same approach that carried two games in Philadelphia into a chance to finish the job in Los Angeles.
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