NL DIVISION SERIES: PADRES VS DODGERS

October 9, 2024

Mike Shildt

Petco Park

San Diego Padres

Pregame 4 Press Conference

Q. How did your conversations with Dylan go? When did it happen and kind of what was the plan for getting him ready for this start?

MIKE SHILDT: Ruben had the initial conversation with him two days ago. Wasn't a short start, the first start, but wasn't a long one -- he's had rest after that. But it's more of a conversation, take his temperature.

And he jumped all over it. He was like, yeah, I need to go pitch I want to go pitch.

I followed up with him talked to him about it he feels good. At that point, when he was so convicted about it, it became a pretty simple decision, quite honestly.

Q. Do you manage differently? How do you manage knowing that he will be going on short rest and kind of what that means in terms of pitches?

MIKE SHILDT: We manage the game on what we see in front of us. He's on short rest, but he was pretty convicted to me yesterday. He was, like, I don't want to be treated like I've got 30 pitches, but he doesn't. He's got what he needs to perform.

Q. I imagine that's what you would want out of a guy?

MIKE SHILDT: Of course, that's the reason why we're doing it. Yeah, absolutely.

Q. How much was a factor in that decision in terms of what the workload was in Game 1 for him?

MIKE SHILDT: The factor in the decision was part of the workload, part of the rest he had prior to that because he had extended rest.

And the fact that we got, if we need it, Yu Darvish for Game 5. All the calculus ended up with a 2 plus 2 equals 4.

Q. Base running play, that play that Manny made last night, seemed like even some people in the game didn't know the rule until last night when it happened. How long have you known it? How long have you been teaching it or practicing it?

MIKE SHILDT: 25, 30 years, maybe. Yeah, probably at least 25.

The one that's more familiar is that one, especially if you're a left-handed-hitting first baseman, running inside because you could, again, clearly now the rules have been documented. But also use it from the ground ball to third base or foul ball to the left-field line for the runner at third. He can run inside as much as he wants to to interrupt the throwing lane.

We've been working on it. It was a great baseball play by Manny, clearly, very heads-up. But something that we've worked on and he executed it in a big moment.

Q. Similar note, three years ago, he was facing your team, the Cardinals, and he up-ended Tommy Edman between first and second. Just the instincts to do that -- I know it's probably something you teach as well, but his general instincts as a baserunner, what do you make of them?

MIKE SHILDT: Manny has an exceptionally high baseball IQ. The play last night, the play you mentioned several years ago. He just knows the game, plays the game, and he's been a big part of us.

We talk a lot baseball here, we make sure we do everything we can in every moment to be prepared and execute based on the situation. So we talk a lot about it, and Manny's conversations and our ball talks in Spring Training have been able to bring people with him.

Q. Dylan throughout the season has proven himself to be a competitive guy that's up for a challenge. He showed that especially in the no-hitter, he wanted to stay out there. How beneficial is that in a situation like this?

MIKE SHILDT: Big time. Listen he could have easily said, I need my regular rest. But he had felt rested and wanted to compete from the other day.

Yeah, his desire to do it is a big part of driving this. We don't let the players get what they want every day, but we do listen to them and we do trust them. And I trust Dylan completely. And his competitive spirit is going to show up again tonight.

Q. You guys play in front of sell-outs all the time. But what's it been like for you just to see it continue to grow and the atmosphere? It's always sold-out but it just seems to get bigger and bigger with these games.

MIKE SHILDT: The atmosphere all year, a lot of adjectives for it -- electric, passionate, enthusiastic -- all the different superlatives you want to say to it. But it's only continued to escalate in a healthy manner.

The fans are with us, man. They're with us and pushing and pulling for us like crazy. It continues to be a really fun atmosphere for sure.

Q. On your choice of Darvish, does that basically either have a Game 5 or a Game 1 on Sunday, does that mean that he's the Game 1 starter if there's not a Game 5?

MIKE SHILDT: We'd love to name Yu as the Game 1 starter.

Q. You do, you would name him Game 1 starter?

MIKE SHILDT: I think that would be reasonable. Yes.

Q. How important, in retrospect, was what A.J. did at the deadline, could have picked different priorities, could have done nothing, could have went after a starting pitcher? But this bullpen in particular, last night's game a perfect example. They hit the grand slam, it's 6-5 and the bullpen holds the line, which they've done a lot lately in big games. How important was that prioritization at the trade deadline?

MIKE SHILDT: Huge. A.J. recognizes that -- A.J.'s putting together a team that's looking to be built for winning a World Series which is where we're heading. And bullpens are big parts of that.

I think you can look at any successful team that makes a deep run in the playoffs and you're going to have a deep bullpen. So to A.J.'s credit he recognized that.

He also did pick up a starter in Perez that helps us and helped us win some games. That bullpen, to your point, last night in close ball games against good teams, that's a separator a lot of times.

Q. Along those same lines, could you go into the human element of that bullpen and the way those guys came in and fit right away and a guy like Tanner Scott, who's an All-Star closer, coming in and taking a different role and thriving in it? And the guys that you had going into different roles, and how that all came together?

MIKE SHILDT: Tanner, Jason Adam both came in. Jason has some closing experience. Scott's obviously an All-Star closer this year. But both of them came in and very clear, wherever you need me. In the first you're apprehensive, like, you going to pitch in the seventh? (Indiscernible) make sense for you? He goes, yeah.

You do it, you see no apprehension. He does it, does his job, passes the ball. Adam's been able to take multiple roles in different areas.

Suarez is open minded about being in different roles based on match-ups and different parts of the game.

To Bryce's point, having the bullpen that's deep is important. Having the bullpen that's willing to pitch in the best match-ups, regardless of inning, and putting their ego aside, do it for the team, is also extremely important.

Q. Not too long ago there was discussion about Robert Suarez's role as closer, all options on the table. What did he show you last night with the four-out save?

MIKE SHILDT: Robert has been real good for us all year. He's been really good lately. It was his spot with that part of the order. Scott got his spot at the top. Adam's a guy that can go anywhere in the seventh.

And Robert showed what he does, comes in and gets after it.

And I love the fact he's throwing the two-seamer more, got the four-seamer going. But also, to Muncy and Lux, he threw that change-up. He gets the change-up going, throws that more consistently, which he has more lately, now it's another weapon to a pretty special arsenal.

Q. When did the Dodgers let you know that Brasier was starting tonight? And what are your thoughts on that?

MIKE SHILDT: We found out probably 45 minutes ago, maybe an hour. Ryan Barba told me, our field coordinator.

Thoughts, listen, they're going to throw their bullpen. We know their bullpen. It's a matter of us being able to execute. We know Brasier. We'll be ready from the first pitch.

Q. Does it help because you've seen them so much? Saw them at the end of the regular season as well?

MIKE SHILDT: There's definitely some familiarity, seeing them over the course of the year. But to your point, Bob, we've seen him toward the end of the season and clearly seen him during this season. So there's no big secrets now; it's just a matter of execution and taking good quality at-bats consistently for the entire game.

Q. I know you probably would like to close out this series today, but how important do you feel like it is to close out the series today rather than Game 5 in LA?

MIKE SHILDT: Yeah, I think we clearly would like to do it here at home and get it accomplished and be done with it. That's the goal for the day. That's for sure.

Q. It was great to see Tony La Russa hear last night in the clubhouse. Does your relationship go back with him to St. Louis or even beyond that?

MIKE SHILDT: Goes back to St. Louis. I've known Tony for a long time. He's a big reason why I'm here. I was with him for a long time in St. Louis on the minor league side.

He was always gracious with me, generous with his time and wisdom, which there's a lot of, and wisdom, and gave his greatest the resource and time.

First time I asked Tony a question, I helped him run Spring Training with Joe Pettini on the minor league side. The first years I did it, I just wanted to make sure that Dave Duncan had his catchers and I didn't screw up the schedule on the minor league side.

After two years I finally had the guts, I guess you would call it, to start asking him a question. And I asked him something and I wish I could have remembered what it was. I probably should.

But he said let me get back to you. He's a very thoughtful, conscientious guy and smart guy. Let me get back to you tomorrow. And next day he sat me down for a 20-minute explanation. That was 2010.

Ever since then, if I call Tony or text him, we just have baseball conversation, he'll respond immediately and he'll talk to me for as long as I need to talk. He's just been a tremendous resource.