NL DIVISION SERIES: PADRES VS DODGERS

October 8, 2024

Dave Roberts

Petco Park

Los Angeles Dodgers

Postgame 3 Press Conference

Padres - 6, Dodgers - 5

Q. First of all, what can you tell us right now about your pitching plans for tomorrow?

DAVE ROBERTS: I think as far as pitching plans, it's essentially all hands on deck. It's probably -- it's a bullpen game. I see one of our relievers starting.

We sort of talked through it. And knowing that we've got Jack and Yamamoto for potential Game 5.

Q. Shohei has been so great this season. Do you see any press in him now? And what would you say to your fans who, not only wrongly expected that, oh, my God, this guy is going to do exactly what he did in the regular season?

DAVE ROBERTS: I think that the moment is certainly not getting too big for him. I think they're making some good pitches. Obviously he had a good Game 1 and was kept somewhat at bay, still threw out a knock tonight.

So, yeah, I think that he's still in a good place. He'll be ready to hit a mistake. And I still feel good about having Shohei in there tomorrow to do some good things.

Q. How is Miguel Rojas doing right now?

DAVE ROBERTS: He's hanging in there. It's his adductor that he's sort of dealt with all year. Obviously we had to take him out. Couldn't stay in the game.

I don't know his status for tomorrow. Given that it's an elimination game, I'm sure he's going to want to be in there. But we've got to evaluate at what cost, as far as how effective he can be, whether it be defensively with the range or at the plate.

So I don't know that right now. But I know I'm sure he's going to probably try to lobby to be in there tomorrow.

Q. Same thing with Freddie?

DAVE ROBERTS: Same thing with Freddie, that's right.

Q. That second inning seemed to kind of snowball on Walker. Tatis hits the big home run. Does it seem like a night where the box score might look differently for him if Freddie turns that double play or at least gets a force out, and some soft contact before the homer?

DAVE ROBERTS: I think so. I thought obviously the pitch to Tatis was a bad pitch. But I think leading up to that, there were just balls that we just didn't convert into outs. And it builds the stress in the inning.

Obviously that play with Freddie and the ground ball to Miggy that we couldn't get the lead runner. We couldn't get Merrill there at second base. And it just continues to stress the inning.

And Peralta gets a ball that kind of sneaks inside the line. So there's a lot of soft contact. And I thought Walker did a nice job of keeping his composure and still giving us some length and throwing some zeros after that.

But again, when you give a good team extra outs it's hard to throw up zeros.

Q. You talked about the experience that your ballclub has. Another year on the brink of elimination. Is this where that group has to do it themselves? I know you didn't want to say too much before the game. Is it the same thing now?

DAVE ROBERTS: It's the same thing, you're right. It's 26 players that everyone's got to be available in whatever capacity. We've got to win tomorrow night to then pick up the pieces for Game 5. I don't know how that's going to look.

But certainly these guys came out with energy. We responded with a big Teo homer and I feel good about preventing runs. But, again, we've still got to play good defense, too.

Q. Can you explain to me because obviously I don't know, could you have appealed that throw that hit Machado? Did he come out of the line? What is the rule now because, again, I'm not sure I know.

DAVE ROBERTS: You can't appeal it. And the thing is from my vantage point, it's not a replayable challenge play. Manny, you can create your own base path if you're not avoiding a tag. And it was a heady play.

Q. Game started in exceedingly weird fashion just like the other play with Mookie at the plate. What did you think about that play just in general and how do you feel about him finally getting something?

DAVE ROBERTS: It was good to see Mookie swing the bat well. I think if you're talking about a silver lining, Mookie, he swung the bat well tonight. Freddie swung the ball well -- didn't get much to show from it.

The guys in the pen did a really nice job. The way things have been going for Mookie, I think he just assumed that the guy made the play in left field. Fortunately Profar didn't make that one.

Q. You visited the mound in the fifth inning, what was your message to Buehler?

DAVE ROBERTS: It was still a tie ball game. Merrill was up. I just wanted to hear from Walker that he felt good in that moment. Once there was that wild pitch with the base open I just thought it was best to take our chance with Bogaerts right there.

Q. Being in a win-or-go-home game obviously isn't a good situation. But do you feel okay about the state of your bullpen and just the variety of arms that you'll have available?

DAVE ROBERTS: I do. I mean. Certainly this situation isn't ideal, but I do feel that us being able to stay away from our leverage arms tonight gives those guys three days off or they've had three days off to then go into Game 4 and kind of can push them a little bit more.

So I feel good in that respect. And I feel good with the length and the quality that we have for a potential Game 5.

Yeah, not a great situation, but as far as kind of winning a ball game tomorrow, I think we're in a really good spot.