Steve Webb
LOS ANGELES, CA — In the aftermath of the Dodgers’ 11-4 loss to the Yankees in Game 4 of the World Series, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts shared his perspective on the game, focusing on pitcher Daniel Hudson’s struggles, bullpen management, and Shohei Ohtani‘s status. Despite the setback, Roberts expressed confidence in the team’s position as they remain one win away from a World Series title.
When asked about Hudson’s performance in the third inning, Roberts pointed to a sequence that set the tone for the frame’s unraveling. “The two free passes, the hit-by-pitch, and the walk—he had Stanton one-two and just couldn’t put him away,” he explained. Roberts acknowledged that Daniel was close to getting out of the inning but made a critical error, leaving “a slider arm-side to [Anthony] Volpe, and that was the difference in that inning.”
Roberts was questioned on whether he had considered pulling Daniel when he began to lose control, but he emphasized his decision to leave him in. “That was his inning,” he stated firmly, explaining that Daniel was around the 20-pitch mark and facing Volpe, a manageable situation at that point. Roberts added, “I’m not going to go get somebody in the third inning… where he just popped a guy up,” defending his choice not to deploy other relievers so early in the game.
Roberts faced additional questions about his bullpen usage, especially given the early pitching struggles. Asked if he felt satisfied with how the bullpen was positioned for the remaining games, Roberts answered confidently: “Absolutely. We had some at-bats that I thought could have been better,” but ultimately, the bullpen outcome played out as hoped. “We knew it was a bullpen game…to have six guys in your pen that are feeling good, rested—I feel good about that and being up 3-1,” he said.
Despite the loss, Roberts emphasized that the bullpen’s availability for the remaining games was a crucial takeaway. “We have guys that can do up-downs,” he noted, alluding to the team’s endurance. With three more games and actual starters available, Roberts remarked, “We’re in a great spot with leverage relievers.”
Another highlight of the interview centered around Shohei Ohtani, who struggled at the plate and dealt with shoulder issues. When questioned about the effect of his shoulder on his performance, Roberts was clear: “It’s not impeding; he doesn’t feel it,” adding that he believes Ohtani’s recent struggles come down to an aggressive approach. “It’s just the chase…there’s some big at-bats that could result in a walk, but he’s chasing,” Roberts explained. As for Ohtani’s base running, Roberts shared, “He actually slid tonight, so I don’t think it’s been a problem.” Although he ruled out base stealing, Roberts saw no reason to hold back on Ohtani’s availability.
Despite the tough outcome, Roberts insisted that the team was still in a positive mindset and had a strategy for the rest of the series. Reflecting on the fifth inning, when the Dodgers trailed by only a run, Roberts acknowledged the difficulty in balancing pitching choices with the team’s need to conserve leverage relievers for later games. “It’s challenging,” he admitted, “but you’ve got to be certain that you can score some runs.” Roberts explained that choosing to use a leverage reliever like Landon to protect a one-run deficit would have compromised their bullpen for Game 5.
Discussing the Dodgers’ overall mentality, Roberts reiterated that he doesn’t need to remind the players about the stakes, even after an early lead from Freddie Freeman’s first-inning home run. “We were very high; we were excited,” he shared, but credited the Yankees for quickly answering back. “It was a good ball game till it wasn’t,” he reflected. He also confirmed that the Dodgers are accustomed to playing through the full 27 outs and would approach the upcoming game with the same resilience.
When asked about the unusual pitching strategy, Roberts conveyed relief that they had starters lined up for the remainder of the series, saying, “Yeah, exactly, absolutely.” He emphasized the challenge of managing a bullpen game but remained positive about the team’s position, despite Game 4’s outcome.
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