Dodgers Interview: Roberts on the Quest to “Win it All”

LOS ANGELES — That was a grown-up win. The Dodgers fell behind early, steadied themselves behind Yoshinobu Yamamoto, and wore Cincinnati down with team at-bats. Afterward, Dave Roberts sounded pleased with the response and clear about what’s next. Simple message, steady tone.

“It was a great test and we didn’t waver even after that first inning,” Roberts said. “Guys stayed positive, stayed within themselves, kept taking good at-bats, and Yoshi stepped up once again. He added some pitches in that first inning, but he was locked in and for him to get us into the seventh was huge. Us tacking on offensively, defensively we’re playing great, and it was good to see Roki finish that game too.”

Asked point-blank if Roki Sasaki is now the closer, Roberts didn’t stick a label on it, but he didn’t hide his trust either. “I trust him and he’s going to be pitching in leverage,” he said. “The more you pitch guys and play guys, you learn more. Like I said about Yamamoto, I don’t think the moment’s going to be too big for Roki.”

On the big picture, Roberts kept it direct. “I think we can win it all. I think we’re equipped to do that,” he said. “We certainly have the pedigree. We certainly have the hunger. We’re playing great baseball. In all honesty, I don’t care who we play. I just want to be the last team standing.”

The offense looked like itself again, grinding from the third inning on and blowing it open in the sixth and seventh. Roberts pointed to approach more than fireworks. “What we’re seeing is winning pitches, using the whole field, fighting, and not trying to just slug,” he said. “We’re taking team at-bats. Situationally, we’ve been fantastic. Even Ben [Rortvedt] at the bottom, whether it’s the sacrifice, the fight to slap an 0-2 double the other way to get on base, we’re doing things. Whether it’s a sac fly, we’re doing whatever it takes. Even Sho [Shohei Ohtani] in that situation, getting a guy over to allow, set the stage for Mookie. Just team baseball. Team at-bats.”

The one uneasy moment came in the eighth when Emmet Sheehan couldn’t find his feel and the Reds brought the tying run to the plate. Roberts explained the hook and the thinking. “I still trust him,” he said. “It was his first kind of real crack at late leverage. He wasn’t sharp, but I believe in him. To think that he can get through Benson, although he had count leverage, to then feel like he can get through McLain, he would have been over 30 pitches, and I just didn’t think the stuff was as sharp. I had a gut feeling to give [Alex] Vesia a chance to get count leverage versus Andrew, or if they leave Benson in. I liked him against McLain and then [T.J.] Friedl. Emmet did a fine job. It just wasn’t sharp tonight.”

Mookie Betts set the tone all night and kept setting it, finishing with four hits and three RBI. Roberts said the turnaround this year started when Betts simplified. “I think it started when he gave up on chasing having a career year, chasing MVP or whatever it was,” he said. “He was resolved to let that go, play for the present and the future, and play to help the team win. That took a lot of pressure off him. Everything kind of unveiled and he got to be the player that he was. He freed himself up and he’s playing fantastic baseball.”

Ben Rortvedt drew praise for how he’s handled an impossible assignment: filling in for an All-Star in October. “Ben’s been an unsung hero,” Roberts said. “Coming in here trying to replace an All-Star catcher, he has the trust of the pitchers. He’s a servant first. He receives well, he throws well, he understands who he is as a hitter. To be able to move runners, see pitches, put the ball in play, get hits when we need him, he’s been fantastic. He had big shoes to fill, but he’s done a great job with the fingers, the catching, all of it.”

And because it’s October, Kiké Hernández showed up right on time with the game-turning double. Roberts smiled at the mention. “That was huge,” he said. “Kiké is an energy giver and when he’s playing and playing well, guys feed off that. Miggy Rojas is like that. Teo’s like that. But October Kiké is something pretty special and the track record speaks for itself. Throughout history, he’s one of the best in the postseason.”

Attention now flips to Philadelphia for the Division Series, and the plan at the top is set. “Sho is going to start Game One,” Roberts said. As for the matchup, he kept it even-keeled. “Very talented ball club. It’s going to be a fun environment,” he said. “I think we match up really well with those guys. They’re going to run a bunch of left-handers at us. Talented all throughout the lineup. They got [Trea Turner] back. It’s going to be a fun series.”

Finally, on the value of playing the Wild Card round instead of sitting. “If you can bank getting through the Wild Card Series, I think so,” he said. “There’s some downside to playing in this series, but getting through it the way we have, seamlessly getting to the next series, I think we’re in a good spot. And we’ll be sharp going into the next series.”

Clean, simple message from the manager after a complete win: stay level, keep stacking team at-bats, trust your arms in leverage, and carry it to Philly.

Have you subscribed to the Bleed Los Podcast YouTube channel? Be sure to ring the notification bell to watch player interviews, participate in shows & promotions, and stay up to date on all Dodgers news and rumors!