Steve Webb
In a dramatic World Series opener, the Los Angeles Dodgers overcame a 3-2 deficit to beat the Yankees 6-3, thanks to Freddie Freeman’s walk-off grand slam. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts reflected on the game, calling it one of the greatest baseball moments he had ever witnessed.
“It’s arguably the greatest baseball moment I’ve ever witnessed,” Roberts said. “I’ve witnessed some great ones, but when I saw Freddie’s swing, I knew it was gone. Just pure elation.” Roberts admitted that in those final moments, his focus was on creating a chance to score, saying, “As the inning started, you’re just trying to think about getting Shohei [Ohtani] to the plate. Once they decided to walk Mookie [Betts], I felt good with Freddie at the plate.”
Freeman’s home run was followed by a spirited celebration. Roberts noted, “You don’t often see teams celebrate like that after a game. But it was certainly warranted. It was a great game before that, and the way it finished—I just couldn’t be more excited for our guys.”
The Dodgers’ victory came against a strong performance by Yankees ace Garrett Cole. “Garrett was good. He was good,” Roberts acknowledged. “We had a couple of opportunities in the middle innings to get a run situationally and weren’t able to come through, but we kept persevering and grinding. We created another opportunity in the ninth, and we got the big hit.”
When asked whether he could appreciate how good the game was in real time, Roberts admitted, “Maybe not in the moment, but after the hit, I really appreciated it. It was a well-played baseball game—good pitching, good defense, some good at-bats. The crowd was into it from pitch one. It was an old-school baseball game, and gosh, the dramatics of how we finished were spectacular.”
The decision to walk Betts and face Freeman was not taken lightly. “It’s never easy,” Roberts said. “It’s never comfortable, and you just have to believe in your process and the matchups you’ve got. Sometimes it works, and sometimes it doesn’t.”
Roberts saw Freeman take the Yankees’ decision personally. “I think he did, and I think he should,” Roberts remarked. “Any player should take it personally when they’re walked to get to the next guy. They’re competitors, and that’s the way it should be.”
Earlier in the game, Freeman made a statement by stretching a hit into a triple. “When I saw Freddie lagging out that triple, my first thought was, ‘Stop!’ He was already in scoring position, but he’s a baseball player, and it kicked away from Alex [Verdugo]. He was smart to take the extra 90 feet. I was just happy he came out of it upright.”
Roberts emphasized that the Dodgers’ success this postseason has been a team effort. “In spring training, we talked about how each guy has got to want to be the guy at the plate when the game’s on the line. Each pitcher has to want to be the guy with the game on the line. Each fielder has to want the ball hit to them in those moments,” Roberts said. “Freddie, in the last series, was ailing, and for him to come back and pick us up tonight—huge. Not surprising, but I’m sure it made him feel really good.”
The manager also praised Bruidar Graterol’s relief performance in the sixth inning, after the pitcher had been out for a month. “We were betting on Bruidar’s heartbeat, the stuff he has,” Roberts said. “He hasn’t pitched in forever, but we put him in a big spot, and he threw up a zero to keep us in the game.”
The game itself felt like a chess match, with both managers making tactical decisions throughout the night. “It was fun now that I look back at it, but in the moment, you’re just really trying to play chess,” Roberts explained. “It was a tight game, so we didn’t have much margin for error. We had to keep it close and try to use the right guys while also considering that there’s more baseball to be played.”
When comparing the moment to Kirk Gibson’s iconic walk-off home run in 1988, Roberts didn’t shy away from the comparison. “That’s iconic,” he said. “But if we win three more games, Freddie’s homer is going to be right up there with it.”
The story of Freeman’s season—dealing with a finger injury, an ankle issue, and balancing family responsibilities—added even more emotion to his Game 1 heroics. “The game honors you when you do things the right way, play the right way, and you’re a good teammate,” Roberts said. “Tonight, the game honored Freddie. It’s been a trying year for him, but he’s found a way to keep moving forward for his teammates.”
In managing the bullpen, Roberts again gave credit to his players. “We have good players, and they’re performing,” he said. “They’re all in for whatever I ask of them. Tonight, Jack [Flaherty] started the game and pitched his tail off, which allowed me to deploy the guys in a way that made sense.”
Reflecting on Jack Flaherty’s ability to strike out Aaron Judge three times, Roberts said, “Jack was great. He used the breaking ball well, and that 3-2 strikeout with the fastball was big. Aaron is an MVP, and you’ve got to be careful with those guys. If you make a mistake, they’re going to make you pay.”
With Game 1 in the books, Roberts knows there’s still work to be done. “We have to win three more,” he concluded. “But I couldn’t be prouder of our guys. Tonight was just a start.”
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