Dodgers Team News

Dodgers: Dave Roberts Not All-In on Home Field Advantage

Right now, the Los Angeles are in a dogfight to maintain home-field advantage throughout the MLB playoffs. While a couple games separate them and the Atlanta Braves, how important is it to the man leading the Dodgers to secure the right to play the most games at Dodger Stadium?

Indeed, Bill Plunkett of the OC Register talked with Dodgers’ manager Dave Roberts about this subject. While it’s important to Roberts – and it should be – the skipper says it’s not absolutely paramount. And let’s not forget, he’s talked about it before.



First, Roberts appreciates the edge that home-field advantage provides for his club. Still, he realizes that it’s not the end-all. For instance, the Dodgers did not have home-field in 2018 when they were forced to beat Milwaukee in a game seven on the road of the NLCS.

“Home-field (advantage) is huge,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. “To try to obtain it at any cost, that’s a bigger discussion. But it’s at the forefront of all our minds to have home-field advantage, 100 percent.”

Equally important – Roberts says the Dodgers will run full-throttle at the goal – but not jeopardize final success.

“I think it’s certainly very important considering how we’ve played at home,” he said, mindful of the Dodgers’ 56-20 record at home (second in the majors to the Astros’ 56-19 (going into their game Thursday). “But there’s still a cost in everything, and I think the main thing is keeping guys healthy, keeping guys sharp, and not trying to ‘red line’ just to win by any means necessary. If we play to our potential, that should take care of itself.”

Obviously, if the Dodgers can just be a few games better than the Atlanta Braves, Houston Astros and New York Yankees from here forward; they’ll achieve the short-term goal. Still – if things don’t bounce their way on complete home-field – nothing is conceded in regards to winning it all.

Finally, how much weight do you put on the importance of playing at home in October?

Staff Writer

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9 Comments

  1. I’ve been thinking about the possibility of not having the home field advantage should the Dodgers again reach the World Series. With their pitching and offensive depth as well as defensive flexibility and versatility, the stats, analytics and match-ups might favor the Dodgers when using the DH. If that be the case, without the home field advantage, they would have the DH advantage in Game #1 and #2 and then the home field advantage in Games #3 through #5 when their AL opponent does not have the DH..

    1. Still need homefield in the NL though which isn’t locked up yet. You got a point about the World Series

  2. Before we clinched i said that the Dodgers wont go after or worry about the best record for home field advantage, that doesn’t mean i don’t think it would help i just believed the Dodgers would be more focused on getting guys healthy and playoff ready and willing to lose games then be focused on the record to secure home field which i think is a better idea.

  3. All one has to recall is how did HFA help Dodgers in the 2017 WS? And for the record , of the 6 WS Championships in franchise history only the 1963 Dodgers won it at home.

    1. Crapshoot is an excuse and no pro athlete buys into the crapshoot mindset. Ask any of them especially a World Series champion

  4. During the NL playoffs I would love home field advantage. A good point is made about the DH in the World Series. But, if it’s the Yankees do you want to play 4 games in the Bronx Zoo! That’s IF we make ii that far.

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