NL DIVISION SERIES: PADRES VS DODGERS

October 9, 2024

Dave Roberts

Mookie Betts

Will Smith

Petco Park

Los Angeles Dodgers

Postgame 4 Press Conference

Dodgers - 8, Padres - 0

Q. Do we have a Game 5 starter yet?

DAVE ROBERTS: No, we don't. Fortunately tonight we were very efficient as far as our pen, which was great. So we've got some options. I think that we could run the same playbook back and run a bullpen game. We can start Jack. We could start Yoshinobu.

So tomorrow we've got a workout from 4:00 to 6:00, and it will give us a chance to talk to the relievers and see how everybody's feeling. But right now no Game 5 starter.

Q. Given how well the bullpen pitched today and how much they hit your starters, do you think the bullpen is your favorite?

DAVE ROBERTS: It's a good thought, obviously, clearly. But just kind of knowing they're efficient, but also just checking in on those guys to see how they feel tomorrow is kind of the thing we want to make sure before we make a decision.

Q. And the efficiency, obviously not just in terms of helping you out for Game 5, but the way it kind of helped you on these earnings. Vesia got through the fourth really quick. I'm guessing that helped him get out for the next earning. Like Phillips, Hudson threw nine, 10 pitches. How did that kind of help?

DAVE ROBERTS: It helped, I think that overall the guys were efficient, understanding that they're going to have to do up/downs, go a little bit longer potentially.

So the efficiency of the strike zone was huge and it gives us options for Game 5.

Q. Did you have thoughts of staying away from Treinen after the game opened up?

DAVE ROBERTS: No, I didn't. He hadn't pitched in three days. It was the top of the order. When you're in an elimination game. And it was good to see Landon take down an inning. That was very helpful.

Q. Until Ohtani got here, the saying was, as Mookie goes the Dodgers go. How big has he been the last two days here?

DAVE ROBERTS: Mookie? Mookie's been big. Obviously we've got a lot of good players. But it's not on one player, clearly, and today Mookie shined. Last night Mookie shined. And today Will had a big hit. That's the great thing about having good players.

They don't need to do anything more than they're capable of and do what their abilities allow for. And that's what they did tonight.

Q. You talked a lot about fight, especially over the last week or so. How pleased were you with just what these guys did?

DAVE ROBERTS: I'm proud. Proud. I think that when you go through a regular season, a lot of things are sort of calculated and there's a lot of variables because you're playing for the longer view.

But when you get into the postseason, it's a street fight. It's about people, players, and your desire has got to be more than your opponent.

And for me to see our guys go through what they've been through and respond the way they have really makes me excited about Game 5.

Q. As you mapped out the pitching plan heading into this one, was Flaherty an option?

DAVE ROBERTS: He was a late option, if something funky happened, guys weren't as efficient as possible. But now he's alive for Game 5 as well.

Q. What happened with Freddie just before the game?

DAVE ROBERTS: He just had overall body soreness. The ankle, the side. And we had a good conversation. And I just don't feel good about putting a player in there when he's not at his best because of the name on the back of his jersey.

We have certainly a lot of competent players. So he felt good about, you know, his teammates. So we'll see how he feels tomorrow going into Game 5.

Q. With the importance of getting an early lead in a game like this, how much of a tone setter was Mookie's home run? There's a lot going on with him on Monday. Can you talk a little bit about how he responded to all the noise, I guess, really?

DAVE ROBERTS: I think responded really well. I always tell the guys, the game honors you. And the work that he's put in -- grinding in the cage, extra hitting -- certainly has paid off.

To your question about striking first, when you come on the road, it is important. Hitting is still hard. You can't just book a homer or a crooked number in the first inning.

But I do believe that the intent, even Shohei's first swing of tonight was aggressive on the fastball. And for us to get to Cease early, get to their pen, obviously it gave us momentum. But, yeah, it started with Mookie right there.

Q. Mookie, this series could have snowballed on you guys after Game 2. How do you feel you guys were able to respond tonight and give yourselves another chance in Game 5?

MOOKIE BETTS: I think we just take it one game at a time. One inning at a time. We have a bunch of grinders and a bunch of fighters.

We knew this wasn't going to be easy. Nothing's easy. And so you just gotta take whatever cards you're dealt and play them. And that's what we've been doing.

Q. Mookie, we talked the other day, you talked about how you would take another 300, 400 swings before Game 3. What did you actually do between games 2 and 3.

MOOKIE BETTS: Hit. Kept hitting. That's all I've been doing. That's what I know. I work.

Again, I just want to do my part. I'm not trying to win the game for us. And we got plenty of guys that can win games for us. I just want to do my part in the team. And that's all I've been focused on.

Q. When you say you hit, how much did you hit? I'm guessing you don't want to overdo to the point that you're --

MOOKIE BETTS: I don't care about overdoing it. I'd rather overdo it than not give effort. Pretty much as soon as I get to the park I'm in the cage and I don't leave until I go back on the field. And I come back inside and I hit some more. That's what I've been doing.

Q. Will, up to this point offensively it's been a challenge for you in this postseason. How good did it feel just seeing that ball travel as far as it did?

WILL SMITH: To be able to get a good swing on it, a sinker up in the zone. Muncy did a great job getting on second with a double. I was just trying to get him over. I was rewarded with a homer.

I've felt decent the whole series, drawing walks the first couple of games, just barely missing pitches that I should hit. That happens. That's baseball. But I feel good.

Q. Mookie, what is the mood like in the clubhouse before the game today? And how confident were you guys that you had this performance in you guys today?

MOOKIE BETTS: I think it was a lot more light than people would think. We weren't uptight. We were having fun, laughing, joking. We knew what we were about to do. We knew the challenge we had to face. But we all just enjoyed it. I think it was light, and we knew we'd be okay.

Q. The bullpen, what can you say about all those guys that came in one after another and just put up a bunch of zeros tonight?

WILL SMITH: They were fantastic. Brasier opening for us, and Banda right behind him. I think someone said we used eight guys. They were all fantastic. Attacking the zone, putting guys away, put up nine zeroes, and we needed that tonight.

Credit to those guys keeping us in it. Obviously jumping ahead, but they did fantastic tonight.

Q. Mookie, what was Doc's message on Monday? And when we talked to you Monday it was clear there was a lot of things going on in your head. How did you sort of quiet all that noise and do what you did the last two nights? And was that tough?

MOOKIE BETTS: I don't even remember Doc's message on Monday, to be honest. It seems like it was so long ago. But I mean, I think I just needed to see one fall, man. I think I just need today see one fall and get a little confidence.

I know my team did an amazing job. My teammates did an amazing job trying to put confidence, instill confidence in me.

I had to turn off all social media because that was all negative. And I had to get some positive vibes in me. And my team did it.

And I worked hard and finally saw one fall and I think we're all right now.

Q. Will, I'm curious how much more mentally taxing it is to go through a game where you use eight pitchers and just seeing the stuff that guys had and how the Padres responded. Does it feel like that's something you guys can succeed with if you had to in Game 5?

WILL SMITH: I know we trust all those guys to go out there. Possibly. I don't know what the game plan is. But for me, just go one pitch at a time. Just look at the situation, see what you have on the mound, what the pitcher's got working, and just attack.

That's what we did tonight. That's a credit to the pitchers, making the pitches, attacking the zone.

Q. Mookie, you could have had a home run on Sunday if Profar hadn't pulled that ball out of the stands. Now you've had one in each of the first innings of the next two games. Is that an outgrowth of all the work you're doing?

MOOKIE BETTS: I would say so. I would hope so, with the amount of swings I'm taking. I would hope something would fall. But you know it is what it is.

If that one fell, maybe we're talking differently now. But it didn't. But we've got a Game 5, that's all I'm really focused on.

Q. At this point, though, you feel like you're in sort of a rhythm, back in your regular rhythm?

MOOKIE BETTS: I would say so. Again, that doesn't mean I'm going to go out and get hits, this, that and the other, but I do have some confidence in myself and the boys, and we'll be all right.