NL DIVISION SERIES: DIAMONDBACKS VS DODGERS

October 9, 2023

Dave Roberts

Dodger Stadium

Los Angeles Dodgers

Postgame 2 Press Conference

Diamondbacks - 4, Dodgers - 2

Q. We'll start with Bobby. What did you see from him and what prompted you to pull him when you did?

DAVE ROBERTS: I just thought he wasn't sharp for me. I thought he was getting behind. And those guys saw a lot of pitches.

And where we're at tonight, being down 3-0 in the first inning and then you look at that second inning, and me recalling the at-bat that Pham had on him, doesn't punch. And the guy behind him, Walker, really squared the ball up that first at-bat.

So it's just one of those I felt at that point in time we couldn't afford to go down 4-0. And I wanted to give our team a chance to extend the game and felt that we could prevent runs for the duration of the game.

Q. Are you more frustrated or angry, frustrated that you showed signs of trying to get back into the thing, but angry because of what happened at the end?

DAVE ROBERTS: I wouldn't say angry. I thought all night long we had pitches to hit, but we just couldn't do much with them. Once we got to their pen, we had an opportunity. We cashed in on one run, and we could have had a chance couldn't get the situational at-bat.

There's certainly fight. There always has been. But it comes down to results, too.

Q. You guys obviously had a lot of opportunities in the latter innings. How did you feel about the quality of at-bats when guys were on base? And did the pressure start to mount once you missed one opportunity and then another and then another in some of those innings?

DAVE ROBERTS: I didn't love the pitch selection. There were some balls out of the zone, and there were some borderline balls or pitches that we offered at that we didn't give ourselves a chance to get into counts.

I saw some expansion, some pitches that were pitcher's pitches that we offered at. That's just what I saw. We had opportunities, but when you get opportunities you've got to cash in.

Q. Can you pinpoint why Mookie and Freddie have gotten off to as slow a start as they have this series and sort of how they're attacking and what they can do to be more productive?

DAVE ROBERTS: I think that Freddie's taking good swings. He barreled two balls last night.

Mookie, it's just one of those, I think he's expanding a little bit. He's really good at controlling the strike zone and hitting his pitches. But I think the first couple of games it seems more that he's being aggressive on pitcher's pitches. I wouldn't say chasing, but not really hitting -- swinging at the pitches that he can slug.

Obviously everything's more magnified. It's two games, but our backs are against the wall. We've got the make some type of adjustments, and we have no more margin.

Q. How daunting does a 2-0 hole feel facing elimination but only need three wins? Where do things feel right now for you guys?

DAVE ROBERTS: I think a lot of our guys have -- some of our guys have been in this spot before as far as facing elimination. I think we've just got to pitch better at times and take better at-bats. I think that we have the guys that can do it.

And we've just got to take better team at-bats and win the next game, win Game 3. If we win Game 3 we'll pick up the pieces and go from there.

We've won three games in a row. We're very familiar with this ballclub. They're playing good baseball, and we've got to find a way to flip the script.

Q. For all the talk of openers and bulk guys and matchups and all, the kind of performances they've gotten from Kelly and Gallen, is that what every team wants to do? Your best start is always a good starting pitcher?

DAVE ROBERTS: I think so. Yeah. If you have the guys that can go out there -- and certainly with them it's a lot easier to manage starters when you have a lead. So that certainly changes kind of the calculus in how you manage the starter or the pen.

I don't think there's a manager out there that wouldn't want a guy that you can hand the ball to and go seven innings with.

Q. Your thoughts on your bullpen tonight and where that sets you up for the next game?

DAVE ROBERTS: The bullpen was fantastic. Those guys gave us a chance to stay in the ball game and to win the baseball game. I can't say enough about what they did. I think they're in a good spot. We have the off day. The series sets up well in the sense of off days. They'll all be available for Game 3.

And obviously Lance is going to start that game. You've got a fresh Lynn. You've got a fresh Pepiot. And then Michael Grove will have had a couple of days off and the lefties a couple of days off. All those guys will be ready to go an inning if we need it.

Q. I know it never really comes down to or hardly ever comes down to two guys, but given the way this team is built how difficult do you think it's going to be for you guys to do well in these playoffs, advance in this round if Mookie and Freddie don't really get going for you?

DAVE ROBERTS: Yeah, I mean, they're our two best players. I think that they know that, so it's pretty much -- we all know that. The last thing I want to do, though, is be redundant in the sense of, "we need these guys."

When you start getting into that kind of mindset, it's just -- in baseball and hitting, in particular -- it's just not helpful. They understand their responsibilities, their role on this ballclub.

For me it's just go out there and be themselves and take good at-bats. And that's all they can control.

Q. Corbin Carroll reached base four out of five times tonight from the lead-off spot. Obviously you saw him a lot as a rookie, but he's hitting .500 in his first postseason. What's your impressions of Carroll and what makes him so difficult?

DAVE ROBERTS: It's the speed component. It's the bat to ball. When he puts the ball on the ground there's a chance for an infield hit. And he controls the zone.

Even Bobby today, that first at-bat, he threw a couple of borderline pitches and the moment clearly isn't getting too big for him. And he knows how to conduct at-bats.

Q. Freddie, how is he?

DAVE ROBERTS: Freddie's fine. I don't think he'll say anything otherwise. It was a good one where it got him, but he'll be ready to go.