NL CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES: DODGERS VS BREWERS

October 17, 2025

Dave Roberts

Dodger Stadium

Los Angeles Dodgers

Postgame 4 Press Conference

Dodgers - 5, Brewers - 1

Q. How would you describe Shohei's performance tonight?

DAVE ROBERTS: That was probably the greatest postseason performance of all time. There's been a lot of postseason games. And there's a reason why he's the greatest player on the planet.

What he did on the mound, what he did at the bat, he created a lot of memories for a lot of people. So for us to have a game-clinching -- to do it in a game-clinching game at home, wins the NLCS MVP, pretty special. I'm just happy to be able to go along for the ride.

Q. Obviously Shohei, being the best player in the world, there's a lot of expectations that are on him in that role. What have you seen from him to be able to handle those expectations amidst what many called a slump?

DAVE ROBERTS: Yeah, you know, I just don't know how he handles sort of the expectations, because a lot of times when you have expectations like he has, they're just unattainable and you just never realize them. Certainly the way he was struggling this postseason and not to let it affect him and keep his psyche, his confidence the same is really impressive. So we knew that he was going to come through at some point. And what better night to do it while he was pitching too.

Q. When you said you knew he was going to come through at some point, had you seen something specific from him at the plate that told you he might have a game like this just going beyond sort of his --

DAVE ROBERTS: No, I wouldn't say that. I just felt that his confidence is unflappable. His work is very consistent. I just knew that he's just too talented, and it's not like the moment's ever too big for him.

So with players like that, with that combination, you just know that it's going to happen at some point.

Q. What about going back to the World Series, the way you're doing it, the first four-game sweep in a seven-game series since '63 and 9-1 in the last 10 games. How does this streak feel in terms of the way the ballclub is going toward its goal?

DAVE ROBERTS: I think we're just in a zone. We're focused on playing good baseball. And I still think that there's a lot of low-hanging fruit offensively.

But it's just a very talented group. It's a very focused and very hungry group. So I think that when you get those components, it's tough to beat.

And we mind the little things. We're hungry. We don't really care what happened before. And we're playing good baseball. We're healthy and we've still got some work to do, though.

Q. Does anything Shohei does at this point surprise you -- how far hit the ball tonight, how many he hit, any of it?

DAVE ROBERTS: How far he hit this one tonight surprised me. Just -- yeah, probably not but the distance, the velocity of that one was pretty impressive.

But it's kind of whatever you don't expect, expect him to do it. So I've fortunately had a pretty good seat to a lot of those moments.

Q. Nobody has repeated in 25 years. And talking to Joe Torre, he said for them it was a matter of not think about what you did last year or even series to series, always looking forward. Is that your mindset?

DAVE ROBERTS: Absolutely. I don't think what we did last year has any bearing on this year. There's a lot of guys in that room that weren't a part of last year's team.

We want to win this year. We want to win for the 2025 team and let people talk about all that other stuff afterward. But we've got two teams that want what we want potentially.

Once that series gets over, we'll prepare for whatever team it is and. Like, I said on stage, our job's not done, and we've got four more games to win.

Q. When Ohtani's has maybe the greatest first inning ever in postseason history, can you feel the momentum building for him, that he's going to have a performance like that?

DAVE ROBERTS: Yeah, yep. I think there was a lot of talk that he was scuffling at the plate, he doesn't swing the bat well when he's pitching. And all those things I think were fuel to his fire.

So, today when he took the mound, you can see the focused, the intent. And after that shutdown first inning, just the at-bat right there, you could see that he was smelling a really good night tonight.

Q. You had the confidence to use Roki back to back today. He did it. So what did you feel about his performance today?

DAVE ROBERTS: I have confidence in Roki. I trust him. I believe in his talent. I believe in his mind. And so, yeah, I wasn't too worried about the back-to-back.

In the postseason there's a lot of things that people, players don't ever do. But if you want to win a championship, you've got to be able to be willing to take chances. And, for me, I was completely confident in Roki tonight.

Q. Shohei got 10 strikeouts. That was since June 2023. Did it surprise you or which home run surprised you the most?

DAVE ROBERTS: I think the homer that surprised me the most was probably the one that hit the roof or beyond the roof, the second one. This is just a performance that I've just never seen. No one's ever seen something like this. I'm still in awe right now of Shohei.

Q. Did you sense the third one coming?

DAVE ROBERTS: I would have been surprised. I wasn't surprised with the third one. I wasn't surprised. So I sort of sensed it, yes.

Q. In the modern era of baseball, the first 10 years as manager, Sparky Anderson, Walter Alston won four pennants. You're the first one to do it five times. What does it feel to be in that company?

DAVE ROBERTS: Great, great company. Yeah, I have a hard time wrapping my head around that one. I just kind of try to do my job the best I can and do it for the game, for the players, for our fans. And all that stuff sort of accrues.

But, yeah, I love our game, I love the Dodgers. And I'm going to keep trying to do the best for this organization and this city.

But when you mentioned Alston and Sparky, those are names that you never imagine yourself in that same conversation.

I just want to congratulate Murph and the Brewers on a great year. They were beat up, but they had a tremendous season, tremendous organization. And just really wanted to congratulate those guys.