The Los Angeles Dodgers have consistently shown their ability to come through in huge moments, with every one of their players possessing the ability to flip a game on its head.
This became even more evident in the 2025 postseason, where just about every Dodger had his moment in a big moment as they battled their way to a second consecutive World Series title.
In a poll from ESPN, managers from across MLB named the player they’d least like to face with the game on the line. Five of the six respondents named Dodgers players.
Perhaps surprisingly, only one manager — the Colorado Rockies’ Warren Schaeffer — listed Shohei Ohtani.
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“Shohei [Ohtani],” Schaeffer said. “He seems pretty clutch.”
Schaeffer’s worry over Ohtani is understandable, as the two-way superstar batted .341 against Colorado in 2025. He had 15 hits, five homers and 11 RBIs against the Dodgers’ divisional opponent this season.
Freddie Freeman’s name came up three times in the survey, making him the most popular answer among the managers.
“Freeman has dominated us for years with the game on the line,” Brewers manager Pat Murphy said. “He’s done it many times, broken our hearts.”
Former Dodgers utility man Skip Schumaker also voted for Freeman, but named Ohtani as the better hitter between the two.
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“I’m going to say Freddie Freeman,” Schumaker said. “Hits righties, hits lefties, stays inside the baseball, he’s a hitter, he uses the whole field, he swings at the right pitches, he’ll take his walk, so you’re not going to get him out swinging outside the zone. He knows where the zone is, doesn’t try to do too much, and he’s going to put it in play. Obviously Ohtani is the best hitter, but I don’t want to see Freddie.”
Diamondbacks manager Torey Louvullo also named Freeman due to his versatility and understanding of the game.
“Freddie’s going to be able to understand the pitcher, he’s going to adjust his approach, he’s going to put the ball in play,” Louvullo said. “You need a double, he’s going to hit a double. You need a single, he’s going to find a way to get on base.”
Former San Diego Padres reliever and current manager Craig Stammen is the final manager to name a Dodgers player, and it’s one he pitched against several times during his playing career.
“One player, when I was a pitcher, that I always respected, that always put up a good at-bat and was a tough person to face was Mookie Betts,” Stammen said. “He’s a good hitter.”
Betts stepped up to the plate eight times against Stammen before the latter’s retirement, batting .500 against him with a home run in the regular season and going 0-for-1 in the postseason.
The Dodgers will look to maintain their dominance in crucial situations in 2026, as they chase a third consecutive World Series title for the first time in franchise history.
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Photo Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports
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