Dave Roberts wasn’t pretending to be calm. He was calm.
None of this was new to him, the depleted starting rotation, the fatigued bullpen, the division rivals within striking distance.
Under similar circumstances in past seasons, Roberts pointed out, “We’ve gotten to the other side.”
The Dodgers won a World Series like this last year. They have won the National League West in 12 of the last 13 seasons.
They usually reach “the other side.”
So rather than panic, Roberts waits. He waits for the end of a particularly difficult 26-game stretch, and when Shohei Ohtani, Tyler Glasnow and Blake Snell can pitch again.
Roberts won’t say this publicly, but the Dodgers just have to tread water until they are whole.
They claimed a 5-2 victory over the San Diego Padres on Wednesday to win for the second time in their three-game series at Petco Park, preserving their lead in the NL West.
The Dodgers host the second-place San Francisco Giants in a three-game series that starts Friday and the third-place Padres in a four-game series that opens Monday, after which their schedule will become noticeably softer.
Read more: Teoscar Hernández’s home run helps lift Dodgers to series win over Padres
Their remaining opponents before the All-Star break: the Washington Nationals, Colorado Rockies, Kansas City Royals, Chicago White Sox, Houston Astros and Milwaukee Brewers. The post-All-Star Game schedule is extremely manageable as well.
Provided a couple of their starting pitchers return as anticipated, the Dodgers should be able to not just win their division but also secure a top-two seed in the NL, which would give them a first-round bye in the playoffs. As it is, the Dodgers are 41-27, only ½ game behind the Chicago Cubs, the league’s current No. 2 team.
Dodgers players have taken on Roberts’ understated confidence and make-do-with-what-you-have approach, which explains how the team has survived a 19-game stretch in which every opponent had a winning record. The Dodgers were 10-9 in those games.
“Character,” Roberts said.
Roberts specifically pointed to Teoscar Hernández, who broke out of a slump Wednesday to hit a key three-run home run; to Freddie Freeman, who he revealed is now dealing with a quadriceps injury in addition to his ankle problems; to Mookie Betts, who has continued to play high-level shortstop while playing with a broken toe.
“Guys are not running from the middle part of the season, the stretch we’re going through,” Roberts said. “We’re just finding ways to win.”
Teoscar Hernández circles the bases after his three-run homer. (Derrick Tuskan / Associated Press)
The series win against the Padres was also a credit to Roberts’ ability, and willingness, to play the long game.
With Tony Gonsolin put on the injured list last week, the Dodgers were forced to schedule two bullpen games in San Diego. By punting on the first and refraining from using any of his go-to relievers in a loss, Roberts ensured his team would be positioned to win the series finale.
Again, this was nothing new, as Roberts basically forfeited games in both the NL Championship Series and World Series last year with the remainder of the series in mind.
Roberts elected to send opener Ben Casparius back to the mound to pitch a fourth inning on Wednesday rather than replace him with Jack Dreyer, whom Roberts has grown to trust. The extra inning made a difference. Lou Trivino pitched to the bottom of the Padres’ lineup in the fifth inning, allowing Roberts to deploy Dreyer against the heart of the order in the sixth.
When Michael Kopech walked the bases loaded in the seventh inning, Roberts responded with the necessary degree of urgency rather than allow the recently activated Kopech to try to pitch his way out of trouble. Roberts summoned Anthony Banda, who retired Luis Arráez and Manny Machado to maintain the Dodgers’ 4-2 advantage.
“The bullpen has certainly been used and pushed,” Roberts said. “I just think it speaks to the character.”
And it says something about the manager as well.
Roberts is now in his 10th season as the manager of the Dodgers. He has managed 1,426 games for them in the regular season and another 100 in the postseason. At this point, there’s not much he hasn’t seen, including what the team is dealing with now.
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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
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