Dodgers Team News

Dodgers News: Dave Roberts Critical of Poor Approach with Runners on Base

In case you missed it, the Dodgers are down two games to one to the Padres in the NLDS. Yeah, it’s an ugly feeling. Pitching for the team has been good, but not great overall for the team. Focusing on the bullpen, it’s been basically lights out (2 earned runs over 14.2 innings).

The problem lies with the offense. Specifically in run scoring situations.



With runners in scoring position, the Dodgers went 0-9 last night and are 0-for their last 19 in the series. They’ve scored just four runs over the last 23 innings since the third inning of game 1.

As it is seemingly every year in October, the offense is just plain bad.

Dave Roberts offered up some critical words regarding the approach of his team in the clutch. He sees what the Padres are doing — or at least doing slightly better — and feels his team isn’t taking a good approach when they need to most.

“You can see those guys with runners in scoring position are getting more into at-bats, they’re using the big part of the field. I think that we’re being hyperaggressive early in counts and not staying on the ball.”

Despite the critical words, the manager isn’t worried — or at least he’s just saying that. He knows the team now faces a must win situation tonight at Petco Park. And he feels his team is mentally prepared enough to not let that pressure alter the mentality.

Yeah, I don’t think the mentality changes. It’s certainly a game we have to win, win or go home. We’re going to do everything we can to try to win a baseball game.
So all hands on deck. And the core of this group has been in this position before, and we’re going to approach it like it’s the way it is. It’s win or go home. We’ve got to play better baseball. When we do have opportunities to cash in, we’ve got to take advantage of them.

Tyler Anderson gets the ball for Los Angeles with the season on the line tonight.

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Clint Pasillas

Clint Pasillas has been writing, blogging, and podcasting about the Los Angeles Dodgers since 2008. Under Clint's leadership as the Lead Editor, Dodgers Nation has grown into one of the most read baseball sites in the world with millions of unique visitors per month. Find him online on Twitter/X or his YouTube channel!

11 Comments

    1. And maybe he should DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT! Like calling for a bunt, squeeze play, or shortening the stroke to go with the pitch. This is on him to MANAGE and he isn’t calling for any change in approach in tight games.

      1. OMG, thank you for pointing that out! I can’t believe the Dodger analytics team keeps us from playing small ball! You have to manufacture runs in the playoffs to win games and not just wait for the big home run. You’re facing quality pitching in the playoffs and you have to deviate at times in order to win games! So frustrating as a fan!

  1. I honestly think we are done. I would imagine that even if we somehow win today, we will use our bullpen heavily and make the possibility of winning game 5 tomorrow even more difficult. 0-19 with runners in scoring position says it all.

  2. Seems five days off has thrown us off a bit, along with the rest of the 1,2 seeds. Character will be revealed today, and I don’t have any doubt we get it done. Dodgers in 5.

  3. The should have been dynasty led by Super dave. Nothing has changed, they won’t play situational ball. If you don’t practice situational ball throughout 10 years, you never will be good when it counts. This will never change as long as super dave tries to cheerlead.

  4. I know it looks bad but SD has not done all that well either. Scored 2 runs to win? The Dodgers are more than capable to win 2 over the Padres. Just 1 in SD then home to win it. Having said that Roberts is still a detriment to the team as he was in 17. Didn’t have Lux bunt with 2 on in game 2 loss and then didn’t have Turner bunt yesterday with 2 on and no outs. Normally yeah you don’t do those things but since the offense is down just giving the guys some positive momentum would help there. DR is incapable of helping generate momentum that it seems. Do some creative managing DR.

  5. This is the moment the Dodger’s team leader should repeat the immortal words of Bluto Blutarsky. “I think that this situation absolutely requires a really futile and stupid gesture be done on somebody’s part.”

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