NL DIVISION SERIES: GIANTS VS DODGERS

October 12, 2021

Kris Bryant

Dodger Stadium

San Francisco Giants

Pregame 4 Press Conference

Q. I know all year, even since you've been here, Gabe is big on taking it one game at a time, having tunnel vision, not seeing too far ahead. But as someone who's been in this position before and has been playoff-tested how tough is a closeout game in a series when the opposing team truly has their back against the wall?

KRIS BRYANT: Yeah. It's pretty tough, especially when you're in their home ballpark and their ace on the mound too. So we know we got a tough task at hand, but it's been pretty special what we've been able to do, and just the resiliency that we have and proving people wrong. And not just that, but also the experience that we have in the playoffs with a lot of the guys here.

So we're just going to lean on that tonight and see how things go at the end of this thing and hopefully we can close it out.

Q. Like, starting the year in Chicago, when did you realize how good this Giants team was?

KRIS BRYANT: Yeah, well, certainly when we came to San Francisco earlier in the year, you see some guys having big games against us and you're like who are you? Like, I mean, a lot of really young guys that are just bus ting on the scene and that's been really special for this whole team.

And obviously the pitching staff, and pitching in general, has been doing a great job, and hopefully DeSclafani goes out there and does that tonight. But, yeah, this is a pretty special, pretty good team, and definitely a very unique team, one of the most unique that I've been on.

Q. You have seen DeSclafani probably more than most of the guys on with the Giants. What have you thought of him this year? It seems like he goes a little bit kind of unnoticed in that rotation as the four guy, but what are your impressions of him?

KRIS BRYANT: Yeah, definitely kind of flying under the radar. But, no, just a great year all around. I got the chance to face him in June, I think, and obviously I faced him earlier with the Marlins and the Reds.

But, yeah, he just, you know, just really, I think he commands his fastball really well, at least that's what I noticed when I was facing him. But he just competes. He's going to throw strikes. He's going to keep us in the game, works quick, and it's nice when you have a weapon like that that has flown under the radar, but then you look at his numbers that he's put up this year and it's pretty special. So I'm looking forward to a big night from him too.

Q. You used the word unique. In what ways do you see this team being unique and how has that contributed to the overall success?

KRIS BRYANT: Yeah, unique by certain guys that maybe some people never heard of doing unbelievable things this year and really making a name for them. And then some older guys too. I think we have the oldest group of, I don't know, position players or players in general doing big things this year. So that's a really unique combo when you have veterans doing well and younger, newer guys doing well too.

And it's just all come together at the right time and 107 wins later and now we're in this position, the Division Series. It's pretty special for this group.

Q. I assume you're not surprised to see Walker Buehler as the starting pitcher. Just wondering what you think of, he has some closeout experience, closeout games. Just what do you think of that matchup?

KRIS BRYANT: Yeah. No, it's going to be exciting. I figured they would use their best weapon, which, I mean, if I was managing, I would too.

But, yeah, he's got lots of experience, obviously a great year too, and I feel like we just faced him yesterday. I mean, these playoffs are kind of flying by.

But, yeah, he's going to go out there and compete and do what he does and hopefully we can kind of have some of the same at-bats that we did the first go around and just go out there and battle him.

Q. Did you find something with your swing here in the last week or so, or was it more of a matter of just sticking with your approach and knowing you were having good at-bats?

KRIS BRYANT: No, definitely not. I just try to go out there and have good at-bats, pass the torch to the next guy. And playoff baseball's definitely more of a pitcher's game, so you just got to go out there and battle.

Like I said, with Buehler tonight, just go out there, battle, try and pass the torch. Sometimes when you are struggling it's just a matter of time, one good swing, one big home run, like you saw Longo yesterday, and it kind of just snaps you out of it, and then Longo gets goes out there and hits another liner his next at-bat and it kind of snow balls from there.

Q. You've been in some pretty big spots at a young age. Wondering what you thought watching Camilo last night in those two innings? And, I mean, you had a better view than just about anybody in the house.

KRIS BRYANT: Yeah, I was super impressed, and Tyler Rogers too. Just doing unbelievable things out there pitching two-plus innings. And, just like I say, the uniqueness of this team is something that I haven't seen in just guys stepping up when we need them to and no questions asked. That's a big plus during the season and especially in the playoffs and I was super impressed with him last night.

Q. You were saying that the playoffs are a pitcher's game. Does that make it easier to have calmer at-bats and more controlled at-bats because you're not trying to do too much?

KRIS BRYANT: Oh, yeah, absolutely. I think you kind of just know what to expect. Look at the scores. They are super low scoring games. And like yesterday, too, a lot of them are pitchers duels, so it's really who can really have the one really good at-bat when the team needs it most. And yesterday that was us and you saw it with the Braves and Joc having the one really good at-bat of the game and that proves to be the difference. So it's just weird how the playoffs end up working that way and hopefully we're on the right side of those really good at-bats.

Q. They have bounced you around from position to position here, wonder how comfortable you are with that and next year when you make a decision where you want to play, do you want to be back into third base or solid in one position or does it matter to you?

KRIS BRYANT: No, it's never mattered to me. And it never will. I don't mind it, it's just a little bit more thinking, a little bit more work, just in terms of being prepared for the game. But, no, I like the randomness of it, it keeps me on my toes, I do enjoy it. And, I don't know, I mean, as long as I'm able to do it, then I'm going to do it.