NL CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES: METS VS DODGERS

October 13, 2024

Dave Roberts

Dodger Stadium

Los Angeles Dodgers

Postgame 1 Press Conference

Dodgers - 9, Mets- 0

Q. Lux, what's his --

DAVE ROBERTS: He had a hip flexor tightened up and so just felt that, want to be extra cautious and felt that -- get him out of the game.

Q. Do you know anything yet for tomorrow?

DAVE ROBERTS: I think he'll be fine, whether I decide if he's in there or not. But as far as availability, I think he'll be available, yeah.

Q. And Flaherty, what did you make of that outing, how that all came together and how that looked like?

DAVE ROBERTS: It was just a pitching clinic. I thought he did a great job of filling up the strike zone with his complete mix. Used his fastball when he needed to. Just minimized damage.

And once we caught a lead, he did a great job of just going after those guys and attacking. And for us to get seven innings in a long series was huge.

Q. Postseason heroics here, pitching -- from Sandy to Clayton to Fernando to Orel -- for you guys to set a postseason scoreless record, but to do it with the number of pitchers and a bullpen game, and Jack went seven tonight, what does it say about you guys as a team but also how the game has changed?

DAVE ROBERTS: The game has certainly changed, and I think that from our perspective, I think it's just a collective effort. Certainly the players that were involved in all those scoreless innings have been fantastic.

I think defensively we've been very good defensively, converting outs when we need to. I think the coaches have done a great job of relaying the information and making it tangible and allowing for our pitchers and catchers to do a great job of sequencing, catching the ball the right way.

And the front office, just the information we get. I just think that how we're preventing runs, it's a complete team effort, collective effort.

Q. Back to Flaherty, there's a lot on a guy when a team brings a high-profile guy in at the deadline and he gets Game 1 and there's more on him. How has he handled all that part of it, being the guy to come help with everything else going with your starting pitching?

DAVE ROBERTS: For us, I think we're getting Jack at the perfect time as far as he's a veteran player, he's been through a lot, highs, lows, and found his way back.

This is certainly a childhood dream for him and his family. We just knew that you vet a guy and you just feel that he can handle this market, handle pitching in a playoff game, starting a playoff game. That wasn't really a surprise for us.

I felt, like I said tonight, I think he's going to spit out a really good one tonight. And the moment just isn't going to get too big for Jack.

Q. Execution-wise at the plate, took the bat out of the hands a couple times. Everything went right in that regard. Could you talk about the execution that you guys had up and down the lineup to get so many runs?

DAVE ROBERTS: I thought you could see clearly that Senga just didn't have his A stuff tonight. The split was non-competitive. He didn't use his sweeper. And then he was just relying on the cutter, working behind hitters, walking guys.

For us to take our walks and create stress -- the Max Muncy base hit was huge. I just thought tonight we kind of checked down and got some big base hits, whether moving a guy over, moving him up, and then getting a knock. I just thought all night long we were really stubborn.

I thought the hitting coaches did a great job of putting together a game plan. And then the players executed.

Q. You had 10 sacrifice bunts all season. You had two in the first four innings tonight. What prompted the small-ball approach?

DAVE ROBERTS: It's just playoff baseball. I just think that, it's the fact -- the truth of the matter is that the postseason is different than the regular season. It's about kind of 90 feet and giving yourself -- and some of that was making sure Shohei had a chance to get up.

But to Tommy's and Kiké's credit, driving in those runs were huge. And Gavin getting the bunt down, Tommy getting the bunt down, it's just team baseball.

If you can get a guy in scoring position, it just creates a little bit more stress.

Q. I was going to ask you about Shohei. His numbers, with guys on base and bases empty, are very extreme this postseason. Why do you think that is? Does it just emphasize the importance of having guys on for him?

DAVE ROBERTS: We're better when we get guys on with Shohei up to bat. Obviously when guys are in scoring position there might be a little bit more focus.

But I think right now he's in a good spot. Like I said that last series, I thought he chased it a little bit, but I think tonight he got back into his hitting zone and some good things happened. And even one of his outs was close to being a homer.

Q. Curious for your thoughts on Freddie Freeman tonight. And how is he feeling after the game?

DAVE ROBERTS: I haven't talked to him yet. I felt good about getting him out after seven. Take some innings off of his legs. My expectation is that he's going to be in there until I hear otherwise.

Q. Can you explain how big it is for Flaherty, not just for the win, but what it frees up for the pitching staff for tomorrow? And do you know if that will be a bullpen game?

DAVE ROBERTS: We are going to run a bullpen game. Not sure right now who is going to start this game. I'll let those guys know tonight. But, yeah, it will be a bullpen game. We came out of it with a lot of guys that are rested and rearing to go.

I felt good about that. Jack being able to do that opens up a lot of things and also saves some looks from some of our guys in the pen from some of their guys.

Q. It might get lost in all of this, but how important was that deceptive throw by Kike Hernandez, especially squashing a potential rally?

DAVE ROBERTS: It was a huge play. Obviously I thought right there, I thought Jack was still -- the game was still in the balance, and they started to kind of build an inning.

But Kiké's heads-up kind of look -- body going towards third and then throw behind the runner -- just a heady baseball play. And that right there I thought took the wind out of their sail. You're looking at first and second base, nobody out. I started getting the pen going right there.

So to be able to get that out and get through that allowed Jack to keep going. That was a huge play by Kiké.