Steve Webb
NEW YORK, NY — After the Dodgers fell 12-6 to the Mets in Game 5 of the NLCS, manager Dave Roberts addressed the media, offering insights into the team’s decisions and outlook as the series heads back to Los Angeles with the Dodgers leading 3-2. The loss highlighted challenges with the pitching staff, particularly starter Jack Flaherty, who struggled in the early innings, giving up eight earned runs.
“He wasn’t sharp, clearly,” Roberts said of Flaherty’s outing. “He’s been fighting something, he’s been under the weather a little bit, so I don’t know if that bled into the stuff, the velocity. I’m not sure, I haven’t talked to Jack.” Flaherty’s rough start saw the Dodgers fall behind 3-1 in the third inning, a situation that forced Roberts to make some difficult decisions regarding the bullpen.
Roberts explained the thought process behind leaving Flaherty in longer than some might have expected. “You’re talking about, we’re down 3-1 at the time and, you know, you can’t cover the game with leverage and being down,” he said. “After the walks in that third inning and then Marte, you’re still at that point trying to cover seven innings.” With the series potentially lasting seven games, Roberts was wary of exhausting his key bullpen arms too early. “I have five leverage guys that I wanted to make sure that, you know, you’ve got to deploy at the right time,” he noted.
When asked about the limitations in managing the bullpen during the series, Roberts acknowledged the challenges. “It’s not always fun when you’re going through it, certainly from anyone’s chair, certainly my chair,” he admitted. “But you have to remain steadfast in how you use your pitchers because ultimately it’s about winning four games in a seven-game series.” He emphasized the risks of mismanaging the bullpen early in the series: “When you’re careless, then it’s going to show itself at some point, certainly in a long series.”
Despite the loss, Roberts found some positives, particularly in reliever Brent Honeywell’s performance. “Honeywell did a fantastic job, saving everyone,” Roberts said. “Knowing we’ve got a bullpen game coming up in Game 6 as well, there’s that part of it too.”
The decision to maintain discipline with bullpen usage was not easy, especially given the Dodgers’ offensive potential. “It’s tough, and I wish I could predict that Andy’s going to hit two homers tonight,” Roberts said, referring to a strong offensive showing from the lineup. He added, “You can kind of think through the game as I do, but you do know that there’s a cost for the ensuing games.”
Roberts also addressed the struggles of first baseman Freddie Freeman, who has been playing through an ankle injury. “His swing is not right, and I’m certain it’s the ankle,” Roberts revealed. “We’ll have that conversation, but it’s certainly an option to not have him in there for Game 6.”
The Dodgers’ defense also had its shaky moments, with Mookie Betts facing some difficulties in right field. On a particular play involving a Lindor triple, Roberts commented, “I thought it should have been a glove play, and I think he tried to bare-hand it, took his eye off the ball, which allowed for one of those guys to score instead of securing it and getting the ball in the infield.” He emphasized Betts’ usual defensive prowess but acknowledged that the play needed to be made cleanly.
The first inning provided a pivotal moment that might have altered the course of the game. With the infield back and runners in scoring position, Roberts felt the Dodgers had an opportunity to score first. “SH’s got to go on the ball in the middle of the infield,” he explained. “I think he just locked up there, and you know, it’s no excuse, but I do think there’s some momentum part of it where they ended up getting out of that first inning and allowed to build some momentum as opposed to getting a 1-0 lead in the top of the first.”
As the Dodgers return home for Game 6, Roberts and the team remain focused on closing out the series. “We know what our offense is capable of,” he said, emphasizing the need for strategic bullpen management and disciplined play. With a bullpen game ahead and questions surrounding Freeman’s availability, the Dodgers will need to draw on their depth and resilience to advance to the World Series.
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