MLB WORLD SERIES: YANKEES VS DODGERS

October 27, 2024

Dave Roberts

Yankee Stadium

Los Angeles Dodgers

Workout Day Press Conference

Q. Dave, what were some of the test results on Shohei?

DAVE ROBERTS: As far as test results, we've got doctors scrambling everywhere. I don't have them. This is more me going by the training staff.

Shohei feeling good this morning, range of motion, strength. He should be at the ballpark here in the next 30 minutes, and going to go through the workout.

Q. Are those things -- there are things he's going to have to do today to sort of reinforce your confidence, just that he's going to be available tomorrow. Is there any way he's sort of restricted?

DAVE ROBERTS: Yeah, I think that taking dry swings, which he's done. Then obviously taking balls off the tee, batting practice in the cage, that's going to be telling.

I think that he's obviously very well aware of himself and his body. So if he feels good enough to go, then I see no reason why he wouldn't be in there.

Q. Is this a thing where he could possibly injure it worse by playing through it?

DAVE ROBERTS: I think that once we make the decision that he can play, I would assume that there isn't a possibility of that.

Q. Is this more of a pain tolerance and comfort thing for him at this point?

DAVE ROBERTS: It will be, yes. That's exactly what it is.

Q. And then how do you kind of balance like if he's able to go? Is it almost going to be like a Freddie situation, where you guys have to monitor it day by day kind of how he's feeling, or how do you look at it for his availability for the rest of the series right now?

DAVE ROBERTS: I think honestly it's just per his tolerance. That's just what it is. So I guess you could put it in the Freddie bucket, but guys have had this before and played, but again, it's just everyone's tolerance.

Q. How compromised do you think he might be playing?

DAVE ROBERTS: I don't see him being compromised. It's the left shoulder, which is the back shoulder. So I don't see how that affects his hitting, if he's able to go. I really don't.

Q. Do you happen to know if he's ever dealt with a shoulder popping out or anything like this before?

DAVE ROBERTS: I don't. I'm not sure. I'll see him today and just kind of find that out. But again, he gets here in a little bit, but I don't know that answer.

Q. Then just with Walker Buehler getting the start tomorrow, how confident, how good are you feeling being up 2-0 and also having a guy that's used to pitching on the road and seems to do really well in these types of environments?

DAVE ROBERTS: I feel great. I feel great having Walker take the baseball on the road against a team that hasn't seen him a whole bunch. He's a big game pitcher, and every game in the World Series is a big game. We have an opportunity to put some distance in this series.

Q. There was a report today, I'm guessing coming from you, that Shohei is going to play tomorrow?

DAVE ROBERTS: That's my expectation given talking to the training staff and getting the reports. So I just know -- if it's a per tolerance situation, I just don't see him not playing Game 3.

Q. A lot of it would also depend on what happens today in the workout?

DAVE ROBERTS: Yes, he's got to still go through the workout and swing the bat, but again, today feels better than yesterday, and our assumption is tomorrow's going to feel better than today. So with that, that's what I'm banking on.

Q. Just checking to see if we can get a clear picture of like the tick tock of events that happened after his injury, behind the scenes, leading up to today?

DAVE ROBERTS: Just kind of went into the training room obviously and got with the trainers, the doctors, and did a lot of strength and range of motion tests, then got some ice on it. Then at some point he got imaging. I don't know if it was that night or yesterday morning or this morning -- whenever it was, yesterday morning. That's kind of about it.

Q. From what you heard from the training staff, is this similar to what Cody did, I think NLCS Game 7 in 2020, with that celebration with Kiké? Then obviously he played through it in the World Series.

DAVE ROBERTS: Very similar, just a different shoulder, where I would argue that the right shoulder is more compromising to the swing for a left-handed hitter than the left shoulder.

Q. What do you know about Ben Casparius when he got called up? He didn't pitch in Spring Training, so I didn't know if you'd even seen him.

DAVE ROBERTS: I knew his wife was a great field hockey player. She coaches UNC field hockey. That's what I knew. And I think he had a good fastball.

Q. What is your confidence that -- obviously you want him to play, he wants to play -- but he might not be anywhere close to 100 percent with his effectiveness at the plate?

DAVE ROBERTS: That doesn't concern me. If he is able to play, willing to play, he's going to play. Schmidt will know that Shohei's in the box, so that means everything.

Q. So he flew up separately from you guys last night?

DAVE ROBERTS: Yeah, because just with the imaging and also -- he's just landing shortly, yes.