Dodgers News: Dave Roberts Explains Decision to Keep Lance Lynn in After 2 Home Runs
For the first time in history, a team allowed four home runs in an inning during a postseason game. Unfortunately, that team was the Los Angeles Dodgers.
In Game 3 of the NLDS, Lance Lynn allowed four solo home runs in the bottom of the 3rd inning before finally getting pulled. After the game, reporters asked Dodgers manager Dave Roberts about his decision to leave Lynn out there.
“I had some guys ready. Obviously I can’t predict the future. I try not to be reactionary and get ahead of things. I just can’t predict the future. The way he was throwing the baseball, I didn’t expect that,” Roberts said. “You’ve got two outs and a low-pitch count, and you figure that this run of right-handed hitters, you’ve got to be able to navigate it somewhat with two outs, nobody on base. Then two homers later you’re down 4-0.”
Roberts did have Caleb Ferguson warming up, but he didn’t want to bring him in against the right-handed batters.
“To have Caleb come at (Tommy) Pham or (Christian) Walker or (Lourdes) Gurriel or (Gabriel) Moreno, that wasn’t going to happen,” Roberts said. “I think sometimes you’ve still got to trust the players to go out there and execute. And so just tonight we just didn’t get that start.”
Dodger fans shouldn’t blame Roberts. The game got out of hand so fast that it was doubtful Ferguson could have been warm and ready to go before the third home run. Even if he was, Roberts didn’t want him going against the righties.
Like Doc said, Lynn should have been able to navigate that inning and get out of it with two outs and nobody on.
At the end of the day, if the Dodgers offense came through on Wednesday, the Dodgers wouldn’t have lost the game. They didn’t lose is in the bottom of the 3rd inning.
Photo Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
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Uhh, they did lose the game in the 4th inning. It just wasn’t over yet.
there lays the problem , Dave Roberts was thinking baseball , during the playoffs tournament AGAIN !!!! Every time he thinks or explains his thinking , its turned to SH**, every time , Im not making it up, it is now never been so clear that its been his downfall for another season ending disappointment , Miller should have started game 1, Ryan P ,game 2, Kersh game 3 , instead they pushed Kerch to perform his normal post season blues Which in turn, put so much pressure on Miller to be perfect in game 2 ,and started a proven HR pie server in game 3, ,YUUP that’s a Roberts Blue Plate Special, available usually in October , Kind of starting to be predictable , cant wait for the announcement that he has been dismissed by the Dodgers
Amen. Soo true I was at the game at chase field It was embarrassing.
For a team that relies on analytics,Roberts and Friedman should know that you need to have a pitcher or two warming up knowing the history of Kershaw and the amount of home runs Lynn gives up.
bad decision. Roberts did not use the eye test. I could easily see the Lynn was done after the 2nd homer. to leave him in was a big mistake. knowing this was a do or die game, Roberts should have had both RHP and LHP warming up early.