Dodgers Interview: Roberts Praises Snell as Dodgers Extend Winning Streak

LOS ANGELES — The Dodgers closed out their series against the Rockies on Wednesday night in convincing fashion, notching their fourth consecutive victory. For manager Dave Roberts, the win wasn’t just another tally in the standings—it was an encouraging sign of balance returning to the club as they enter a critical stretch in September.

Snell Sets the Tone

Roberts was quick to point to Blake Snell’s performance as the key to the Dodgers’ latest success. The left-hander has been steadily finding his rhythm after a few uneven outings earlier in the year, and on this night, he gave the Dodgers exactly what they needed: six quality innings, plenty of swing-and-miss, and a presence that carried over to the rest of the roster.

“Blake set the tone tonight,” Roberts said. “Pitch count got up there a little bit, but for him to find a way to get through six was fantastic, was much needed.”

It marked the fifth consecutive quality start by a Dodgers pitcher, a streak that has transformed the club’s outlook after a difficult road trip earlier this month. Roberts acknowledged that the strong run of starting pitching has shifted the entire atmosphere in the dugout: “It certainly changes a lot. You feel like you’re in every game.”

Building Innings, Building Confidence

While Snell handled his part on the mound, the offense made sure his work paid off. The Dodgers strung together a four-run rally early, giving themselves breathing room and reinforcing the kind of “length in the lineup” Roberts has been craving.

Mookie Betts provided the exclamation point in the eighth inning, launching a grand slam homer on a 3-0 pitch to effectively seal the win. Roberts called the swing “huge,” both for the game itself and for the momentum the team is generating.

The manager was also quick to highlight contributions from players who have battled through rough patches. “Guys that have been scuffling in the last few weeks—Teo, Andy—where they’re trending, it’s really good,” Roberts said. “That’s kind of really played itself out as far as stressing a pitcher.”

With veterans finding their form and complementary bats stepping up, Roberts sees signs of the depth that defines his best lineups.

Will Smith’s Health a Watch Point

The only wrinkle in the night came before the first pitch, when All-Star catcher Will Smith experienced swelling in his hand during warmups. Roberts explained that Smith’s hand “started to swell up” as he was preparing for the game, and it became clear that catching would be risky.

In his place, backup Ben Rortvedt once again rose to the occasion, handling the pitching staff with poise and delivering at the plate. Roberts praised Rortvedt for “stepping up and doing a fantastic job as he has every opportunity he’s gotten.”

The team will re-evaluate Smith during Thursday’s off-day, and Roberts stressed they will be “pretty confident that he can catch two out of three if he’s going to play on Friday.” While he didn’t sound overly concerned, the Dodgers will likely proceed cautiously.

Pen in Position, Rest Coming

Roberts also emphasized how the combination of Snell’s length and timely offense allowed him to line up the bullpen effectively. Mookie’s homer gave the Dodgers enough cushion to use Alex Vesia in the eighth and Anthony Banda in the ninth, allowing setup men and closers alike to rest.

“With an off day tomorrow, the pen’s in a good spot as well,” Roberts said. “To get Banda an inning and get everyone else reset was big.”

In a September grind, where every inning counts, managing reliever workloads can be as valuable as stacking wins.

The Road Ahead: Giants and Phillies

As satisfying as this four-game winning streak has been, Roberts acknowledged that tougher tests lie immediately ahead. The Dodgers head north for a weekend showdown with the San Francisco Giants, who are battling fiercely for a wild-card spot. After that, the Phillies await—a club with postseason ambitions of its own.

“No disrespect to the Rockies, but the Giants are playing as good a baseball as anyone right now,” Roberts said. “They’re going to give us everything we have. It’s going to be a battle up there for three games.”

At the same time, Roberts refused to chalk up the Dodgers’ struggles earlier in the season to the quality of their opposition. “It’s kind of, regardless of the opponent, up to us and how we play,” he said. “We’ve talked about how we’ve played against teams under .500. It’s still about our execution.”

A Team Turning a Corner?

Whether this streak signals a genuine turnaround will depend on what happens over the next two weeks. But Roberts likes what he sees from his starters, who have flirted with no-hit bids twice in the last week, and from Snell in particular, who is rounding back into Cy Young form.

“He just wants to go out there and dominate,” Roberts said of Snell. “Tonight was another step in the right direction. Blake is getting to the point where he’s going to be the guy that he knows he is and has been for years.”

For now, the Dodgers will take the balance of strong starting pitching, resurgent offense, and a bullpen aligned for the weekend. Four straight wins don’t erase the frustrations of September’s rocky start, but they do restore confidence that this club, once again, looks like itself.

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!