Steve Webb
LOS ANGELES — Ahead of Sunday’s series finale against the Pittsburgh Pirates, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts addressed a wide range of topics, including Tyler Glasnow’s health, Andy Pages‘ growth, the team’s overall offensive approach, and the support system for young players.
Roberts began with a key update on Tyler Glasnow, who had exited his last start early with cramping. “He did an IV yesterday, just kind of getting his body hydrated,” Roberts said. “All the work leading up to today is good. So for me and the training staff, there’s no concern going into this start, which is a good thing.”
After a strong offensive showing the night before, Roberts emphasized the importance of maintaining that momentum. “I just like us being aggressive in the hitting zone,” he said. “I thought yesterday the energy from the offense was really good. Certainly Roki (Sasaki) threw the baseball well, but we want Tyler to set the tone with his ability and have the offense follow suit. I thought we took good at-bats yesterday — up and down the lineup, it just looked much more fluid.”
One standout was Shohei Ohtani, who seemed to click into a better rhythm at the plate in his best game since returning from Family Leave. Roberts pointed to improved swing mechanics and timing. “Clearly, I thought he stayed on the ball better,” he explained. “Evidence of that was riding out the changeup for the triple. His first at-bat, lining a ball to right-center field, was good as well. I think he stayed on the ball a little bit better. I still think there’s more there as far as balance with the swing, but yesterday was certainly a big step in the right direction.”
Ohtani had also missed time recently to be with his family, and Roberts acknowledged that timing was naturally affected. “He wasn’t really lighting the world on fire before either. Then you take a couple days where you’re just being a husband and a father, so the timing out of sync makes sense,” he said. “Hopefully he’s turned a corner.”
As for Michael Conforto, Roberts said he’s seeing signs of improvement, even if the results haven’t fully shown up yet. “I thought yesterday was better, albeit the results. He didn’t get any hits, but I think there’s a lot of indecision,” Roberts said. “You’re seeing that with Mookie [Betts] as well — a little too careful, not being convicted in the hitting zone.”
Conforto was out of the lineup Sunday but was expected to play the next three games. Roberts emphasized that getting back to a mindset of freedom and clarity is key. “It’s just giving yourself the freedom to not overthink things, not be afraid to fail, not be careful,” Roberts said. “We’ve seen it in real time with Andy [Pages] over the last week. He’s just a different player now. He’s playing with much more freedom, and that’s what you want from all your guys.”
Roberts also acknowledged that players like Conforto, whose identities are strongly tied to their offense, can sometimes feel the struggle more. “His identity has been the bat,” Roberts said. “He’s still getting on base, still seeing pitches, but you still have to move balls forward.”
Another important update was on Clayton Kershaw’s rehab progress. “Clayton is going to throw Tuesday — five innings, 75 pitches, something like that,” Roberts said. “If it goes well, then it’ll probably be a little shorter outing on regular rest Sunday, and we’ll see from there. But he’s in a good spot right now.” Kershaw will make this rehab start with Triple-A Oklahoma City.
When asked about the importance of both the top and bottom of the lineup producing, Roberts said it’s all interconnected. “It works hand in hand,” he explained. “The stars have got to be stars, and the guys at the bottom have got to set the table to bleed into the top. Max [Muncy] is having some better at-bats. Andy [Pages] is swinging the bat well, and getting a couple other guys going would make us a threat every inning.”
Roberts was also asked about the dynamic between younger players and veterans on the roster. While veterans like Michael Conforto are finding their way, Roberts said young pitchers such as Jack Dreyer and Ben Casparius are leaning on experienced coaches and players like Josh Bard and Blake Treinen. “We’ve got a good support group for young guys,” Roberts said. “It’s good to see. When young guys come in and play well, it shows they’re comfortable and have contributed.”
Finally, Roberts circled back to the mental side of player development, especially for Pages. “A big part of individual success is knowing who you are,” he said. “Some people are mechanical-based, but for Andy, it’s about having an approach and just being a hitter. Not worrying where your hands are or your stride. That’s been a big contributor to freeing him up mentally.”
As the Dodgers looked to secure the series against Pittsburgh, the message from Roberts was clear: play with freedom, stay aggressive, and trust the process.
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