NL DIVISION SERIES: DODGERS VS PHILLIES

October 7, 2025

Dave Roberts

Dodger Stadium

Los Angeles Dodgers

Workout Day Press Conference

Q. I know, with Will Smith, you've been talking about kind of how he's building up. How did he come out of the game yesterday, coming into today? And is there still hope he could be starting tomorrow in Game 3?

DAVE ROBERTS: Yeah, there is hope. I think he came out of it well. Haven't seen him today yet. I'll see him out there at the workout.

So I'll make the decision tomorrow. Each day it's gotten better. So I feel more confident that he'll be able to start.

Q. I know you don't want to box Roki in as the closer, but moving forward, if you haven't used him in a game when you get to the ninth and there's a save situation, do you anticipate him kind of being even more your primary option in that spot?

DAVE ROBERTS: He's definitely the primary option now. I think that there's a buildup. There's also a component that we have to win X amount more games, and he's not going to close every game. It's just not feasible. So you've got to use other guys.

But I think to the question, yeah, if it makes sense, he'll definitely be finishing games.

Q. Especially considering he's only pitched five times for you guys since coming back, what's that balance, especially with his workload and figuring out how much you can push him versus trying to still --

DAVE ROBERTS: That's right, it's a balance. This is something he's never done. And you're expecting to go a few more weeks. So all that stuff has to play in that a lot of people don't have any appreciation for.

Q. Obviously you've had to rely a lot on nontraditional relievers to piece games together. How difficult is that balance versus -- obviously you want to win these games, but also trying to keep other guys going, get other guys going that you'll have to rely over the course --

DAVE ROBERTS: That's right. That's everything. That's everything. If there's a world where you can use five pitchers and finish a postseason and win the postseason, I think a lot of people would sign up for that. But that's impossible. So you've got to use your roster at certain times and kind of pick spots where you feel best and live with whatever outcome.

But that's just the way it goes to win, for us, 13 games in October. But very well-framed question.

But, yeah, the more you see guys and give guys opportunities, you see how they respond. And it certainly helps in my decision-making going forward.

Q. With the lineup tomorrow, what does them going with Nola do to change sort of how you construct who is in there?

DAVE ROBERTS: You know, it doesn't do a whole lot outside of Max will be in the lineup. Miggy Ro won't be in there. Then I've got to certainly make the decision on Will versus Ben to start the game. But that has no bearing on who the starting pitcher for them.

Q. Harper and Schwarber are 1-for-15 with eight strikeouts. What's the key to keeping them in check?

DAVE ROBERTS: I think the main thing is we've attacked those guys. We haven't been scared off using the fastball. I think we crowd them just enough. I think we go soft just enough. And I think we change eye level.

So, up to this point, we've done a really nice job of keeping those guys at bay. We've still got some work to do and try to keep those guys asleep.

Q. A couple years ago, Freddie and Mookie had one of those kind of series. How frustrating is it or what do you see happening when two such important components to a team are struggling at such an important part of the season?

DAVE ROBERTS: Puts a lot of pressure on everyone, the people around them. We've lived it, as you said, the players around them, puts pressure on them. Certainly on the two superstars, puts pressure on them to try to perform. But that's what the postseason is all about.

Q. Going back to the bullpen, with some of the nontraditional relievers that you're relying on, do you see a need to get guys like Roki and Emmet to potentially do back-to-backs at some point when the series warrants it?

DAVE ROBERTS: Yeah, I mean, this is like, certainly, it's unchartered territory for everyone. So there's a balance of trying to build up some type of consistency to then get to the next graduation point as far as back-to-backs or whatever it is.

And there's no guarantee what the stuff's going to be like. So that's stuff that me, the pitching coaches talk about because they know, we know our players better than anyone. So those are things that we talk about daily to, again, put our players in the best position.

I would love to have Roki throw every single day if he could, but that's just not feasible. Again, we have a lot of conversations, and then I make my decision.

Q. Before you see it in a game, what can kind of tell you that Roki would be ready for that?

DAVE ROBERTS: Talking to Bardo, Connor, Mark, their catch play, how they're feeling, how the ball's coming out versus other days when they get more rest.

Q. There was so much made last night, of course, of the wheel play with Mookie. Of all the guys you've coached, managed, where does he rank among baseball acumen?

DAVE ROBERTS: He's up there. I played with Robbie Alomar, Omar Vizquel, some great ones. Mookie is up there -- Alex Cora. But Mookie's up there.

I think that especially as an outfielder for the most part of his career to then come into the infield, he's got a lot of feel. He's got a lot of belief in his ability. He made a great play, a really, really great play yesterday.

Q. Do you guys ever talk baseball strategy?

DAVE ROBERTS: All the time. We talk all the time -- offensively, defensively, approach, what pitchers are trying to do defensively -- and he and I have a unique relationship. We talk baseball all the time.

Q. A few weeks ago I asked you about the balance with Blake Treinen from his postseason pedigree, especially last year's run, and what he struggled in September of his recent run. And last night in the ninth, it looked a lot like here against the Phillies, when he gave up three runs here in September. And when he was bad over the last month struggling, it looked like that. How does that change when you want to utilize or use him going forward now?

DAVE ROBERTS: I think the look of a player matters to me. I felt that he was getting some momentum before that last one. So I'll check in on him. But there's ways of how you go about an outing, successful or not successful, and how a player carries himself matters to me.

There was definitely a different look, which -- he's got great pedigree in biggest of spots. But, you know, I just didn't see that edge last night that I know I've seen it many times over.

Q. Is there any update on Miggy Ro?

DAVE ROBERTS: No, not yet. I know that the hamstring, he tweaked it a little bit. Obviously having the day off, he won't start tomorrow, but I'm sure he'll be ready for whatever we need from him tomorrow in the game. But I think he'll be okay.

Q. Tommy has an ankle issue and Miggy has a hamstring. So, two of your middle infielders have some injuries. Do you feel comfortable with your infielders right now?

DAVE ROBERTS: I feel comfortable with Max Muncy. I feel comfortable with Tommy starting the game. I feel comfortable with Kiké coming in at some point if he needs to. And obviously I feel comfortable with Hyeseong playing infield.

Certainly having them on the roster allows for us to protect ourselves and potentially use them if the time calls for it.

Q. Just back to Mookie for a second, how impressive is that for a guy to go from being a Gold Glove right fielder to now making the plays that everyone's talking about in the postseason at the hardest position in the sport?

DAVE ROBERTS: Well, I think point of -- easy context is it's never been done. So to go out there and play Gold Glove right field for years and to be in the Gold Glove conversation this year, rightfully so, to playing the biggest of games, biggest of stages, it's just never been done. It takes a special brain and talent to do it.

Q. With Emmet last night, especially with Schwarber and Harper coming up, what just gave you the confidence to leave him in that spot? And how much did you learn about him and the trust you can have in him in those situations moving forward from how he responded?

DAVE ROBERTS: Yeah, I think it just went back to his last start against the Reds, or his last outing against the Reds out of the pen. And I just felt how he came out of it mentally, physically, he was in a good spot.

So it allowed me to not to run from him in another big spot, which clearly, in that environment, was a big spot. And I just trusted that he can go out there and make pitches.

He did that first inning. And Kepler, I think, lined an 0-2 breaker that didn't get to the dirt. He managed that inning. And I just felt that his stuff was still real good. He wasn't going to run from those guys at the top. And I trusted him.

I felt in that moment he was the best option, and it proved to be right.