NL CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES: DODGERS VS BREWERS

October 15, 2025

Dave Roberts

Dodger Stadium

Los Angeles Dodgers

Workout Day Press Conference

Q. You guys have been very good and very adamant about staying where you're at. You're obviously up 2-0 in this series. How does this group maintain the focus, really looking to find a way to potentially close out the series here at home?

DAVE ROBERTS: I think it's pretty easy. You have a long-term goal to win a championship, and then on the short-term, the micro, how do you do that? You just stay in the moment, don't lose that edge and stay focused.

Then it's pretty easy. There's a lot at stake. I like getting here, working out, getting our guys -- kind of get their bodies moving.

But like you said, they're a talented team, they're not going to quit, and we've just got to keep playing good baseball.

Q. Last sear the storyline was limited pitching but having this incredible bullpen. This year from what we've been able to see whether it was Blake Snell in Game 1 of this year, or Yoshinobu in Game. What is like just having starting pitching for the focus for this group, and how that's been able to control the narrative or even just kind of control what you guys are hoping to achieve?

DAVE ROBERTS: Well, it's just a different way to get where we want to go. For me, you just look at the roster and you play the hand you're dealt and try to maximize it.

This year, fortunately the health, the performance, the talent level of the starting pitching, we're showing that we're going to ride them and challenge them and kind of pivot when we need to. But it's been really good.

Different quality of life. I would argue to say better. But yeah, we've still got to go out there and finish the job.

Q. At one point last week you said, we're not going to win the World Series without Shohei getting out of a slump. You've won seven out of eight postseason games with him contributing very little offensively. Do you still think it's a necessity?

DAVE ROBERTS: Well, I do, and I think the contribution is not just by batting average, either. Certainly him being in the lineup, posting, I think getting the walks, allowing for Mookie to have opportunities to drive runs in, that's contribution.

So for me, I think the first two games in Milwaukee his at-bats have been fantastic. That's what I've been looking for. That's what I'm counting on.

I still stand by that, and we've got a long way to go to win the World Series.

Q. What do you think has been better about Shohei's at-bats this series, and is there anything different that you've seen that the Brewers have done that the Phillies were not doing or that he was able to react to better than --

DAVE ROBERTS: Well, I think he's controlling the strike zone. I think he's still staying aggressive when he gets his pitch. There was a line-out to the right field and there was three walks. There was the base hit in a run situation opportunity.

Those are positives for me.

You can only take what they give you, so for me, I think he's in a good spot right now.

Q. Did you sense any level of frustration from Shohei, especially during the DS when he was struggling at the plate or even coming into this series? How have you seen him handle the way teams have pitched him and his numbers aren't what we're accustomed to seeing from him?

DAVE ROBERTS: Yeah, I think that's fair, and I think that's expected. I don't mind it. I like the edge. He's obviously a very, very talented player, and we're counting on him.

So for him to realize his own personal expectations and if they're not realized then certainly there's frustration, so he's just a great competitor. He's very prepared. There's still a lot of baseball left.

Q. One more on the starting pitching. When you look at what your rotation has been able to do all October long, how has it changed how you've managed these ballgames?

DAVE ROBERTS: Yeah, I think that it's sort of broken up into different parts of the year with the starting pitching, where they're at in their workload, how they're throwing the baseball, trying to take a longer view of what's to come, layering that in, and then sort of right now feeling like you've built up enough equity to kind of push them when need be, to also deploy guys in the pen when I feel the right time.

It's nuanced. There's a lot to it. But I think certainly I've known right now where these guys are at, they're in a good spot to be pushed.

Q. How many more complete games can you get out of your staff?

DAVE ROBERTS: (Laughing) I'll take as many as we can get. They're doing their part by attacking, being efficient and putting themselves in a position to do that.

Q. Looking ahead to Game 4, of course I know you're focused on 3, but looking ahead to 4 with Shohei due to start, he's been managed so carefully pitching-wise this season, what is realistic in terms of how far he could do, especially if you are in a clinch position that night?

DAVE ROBERTS: Yeah, I think that for us, getting him through seven innings I think twice this year, so I feel -- the century mark isn't like a ceiling on pitches. Yeah, I think it's just kind of contingent on how he's throwing.

He's waited for this moment, and I think with the rest that he's got going into is that game, he's going to be ready to go.

Q. With the build-up of Shohei throughout the year as a pitcher, the health of Tyler, the health of Blake, when you've got all these guys back, have you seen them kind of start to play off each other with their performances and it's become contagious kind of?

DAVE ROBERTS: Absolutely. I think that's kind of as far back as time, as far as baseball time, where starters sort of want to feed off each other, compete against one another, push each other, and that's what we're sensing from our staff.

It's going to be hard to top Blake and what Yoshinobu did, but I'm sure Glas is going to try to put his mark on this CS.

Q. Your starters are all very talented, but your No. 4 starter is the best hitter in the league, so presumably he's pitching a complete game; you'll probably have to use relievers at some point. Is that fair to say? And what is your confidence level right now at the back end? I assume it's Vesia, Sasaki and Treinen; do you have an order there? Who's the closer?

DAVE ROBERTS: No, I would say I feel really good with those three guys finishing the game. So yeah, but I think that I feel very comfortable, very confident with all those guys and some other guys, too, John.

So I do think that I'm not going to buy into a certain narrative. I trust our players and they're going to need to respond when given the opportunity. That's kind of how I manage, and I think we've had some good success doing it that way.

Q. You've kind of maybe just answered this, but I know the other day you had mentioned you guys noticed Roki's velo ticking down and were being a little careful there. Any lingering concerns about him after that?

DAVE ROBERTS: No, no concerns. Training staff, coaches, everyone feels good, so he's full go. If his number is called tomorrow night, he'll be ready.

Q. This is kind of related to Roki, but do you have to be more mindful of how you use him and check in with him more given that this is something more and that the velo did go down a little bit the other day?

DAVE ROBERTS: You know, I do -- no is the answer. I do think that there was a slight downtick, but that could tick up tomorrow. I think he's healthy, he's feels good, and we're in the postseason, so you've got to be ready when called upon.

All hands on deck. We're trying to win a championship. If he's the best option, he's going to pitch.

Q. Four straight road wins; what does it say about the makeup of this team and this group?

DAVE ROBERTS: A lot. I think a lot of that is experience. You've got to be able to weather crowd noise, outside noise, some momentum going against you. To be able to kind of combat that, a lot of it is you've got to have been through it, and a lot of our guys have been through things, and we don't panic. We sort of kind of stay the course.

So whether you speak to experience, character, makeup, talent, all that stuff, you've got to win games on the road. I think we do a pretty good job of it.

Q. With all the success that you and your club have had and are having, what are the pitfalls that you have to be aware of in order to get back to get that trophy again?

DAVE ROBERTS: You know, pitfalls -- I think we're prepared. I know we're focused. You've got to play well. I know we're not going to beat ourselves. Pitfalls. I don't really see any sort of pitfalls. I think our guys are wide open.

We're going to have to get beat. If somebody is going to beat us, they're going to have to beat us. That's sport. Yeah, I don't see any.