Dodgers’ Roberts Explains Late-Game Reliever Decisions Following Game 2 Win
PHILADELPHIAโค – Dodgers manager Dave Roberts addressed questions Tuesday regarding his bullpen management in Monday’s 8-1 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies in Gameโ 2 of the National League Division series, specifically focusing onโข theโฃ timing of roki Sasaki‘s appearance andโข the struggles of reliever Blake Treinen.
While Sasaki ultimately pitched a scoreless seventh โinning, Roberts explained why he didn’t call upon the rookie earlier in a tight game.โ The decision centered โขaround trusting veteran โขstarter evan Phillips to navigate the Phillies’ potent lineup.
“I just felt that his stuff was still real good [and that] he wasn’t going to run fromโ those guys atโข the top,” Roberts said, referring to Phillips facing Bryce Harper and Kyle Schwarber. “I trusted him. Iโค felt in that moment he was the best option. And it provedโฃ to be right.”
Phillips delivered, striking out Harper on a changeup after getting aheadโค with what was described as the “third-hardest pitch for a strikeout this season.” Schwarber also struck out looking.The Phillies were a combined 1-for-14 against Phillips and Sasaki with two walks andโ eight strikeouts.
The triumphant outing by Phillips and Sasaki followed a concerning Wild Card Series โฃappearance by reliever Ryan Sheehan. sheehan acknowledged needing โto adjust his approach after struggling in that outing, stating, “Definitely โcontrolling your emotionsโฆโ It’s a big piece of coming out of the bullpen. I’ve talked to a lot โคof guys about that,especially after Cincinnati where I โwasn’t asโข cozy out there.” Sheehan admitted he was “tryingโค to do a little tooโข much, trying to beโค a little too โfine with my pitches at the corners,” and needed toโ “justโค get โback to the approachโ and โคthe โขgame planโ that’s โคbeen working for theโค past couple โmonths.”
Roberts indicatedโ he is highly likelyโข to continue utilizing โฃSheehan and Sasaki in high-leverage situations, potentially forming a preferredโค late-inning combination.
Conversely, Roberts expressed disappointment with veteran reliever Blake Treinen’s performance โin Game 2. Treinen failed toโ record an out, allowing a single and two doubles.
“I just didn’t see that edge last night,” โRoberts โคsaid Tuesday, “that I know I’ve seen it many times over.”
Treinen, a key contributor during the Dodgers’ 2020 โWorld Series โคrun, has struggled this season, posting a career-worst 5.40 ERA after returning from a forearm problem. While he had shown recent enhancement, the Phillies capitalized on his diminished ability to generate swings and misses, with only one strikeout on eight โขswings.
Roberts stated he will check in with Treinen but emphasized the importance โof a player’s demeanor,irrespective ofโ success or failure. “There’s ways ofโข howโค you go about anโ outing, successfulโฃ or notโ successful, and how a player carries himself matters to me.” โWhetherโค Treinen will be โฃplaced in another high-leverage situation in โขthe near future remains uncertain.
