The Los Angeles Dodgers defeated the Toronto Blue Jays to win their second straight championship, rallying from a 3-1 deficit in Game 7 of the World Series. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts played a pivotal role in the comeback, relying on an old-school approach that ultimately worked to perfection.
Speaking during an appearance on the Dan Patrick Show, Roberts emphasized the importance of trusting players over crunching numbers in the postseason. “In the postseason, it’s not about the numbers; you’ve got to trust your players. And my job is to know the player. It’s not to know statistics. I do believe to win 11, 13 games in October, you’ve got to trust your players, know your players, and that’s what we did.”
One of the most critical moments came in the top of the ninth inning of Game 7, when the Dodgers trailed 3-2. There was speculation about whether Roberts would pinch-hit for Miguel Rojas, but instead, he chose to trust him. That decision paid off when Rojas clobbered a home run off Blue Jays closer Jeff Hoffman to tie the game and ignite the Dodgers’ rally.
Roberts also decided to go with all four of his starters from the World Series for the decisive game. MVP Yoshinobu Yamamoto closed out the game with 2 2/3 innings of shutout baseball, despite having pitched six innings just the day before in Game 6. The Dodgers faced tense moments, including a bases-loaded, one-out situation in the bottom of the ninth, but ultimately survived to claim the championship.
Reflecting on his decision-making process, Roberts highlighted balancing gut feeling with analytics. “It’s eye-test, it’s gut. People can’t get off the analytics for some reason. These are people who are just stuck in their ways and you’re never going to change them,” he said.
In the end, Roberts concluded that trusting players to perform in big moments is what makes the difference. While analytics might have suggested pinch-hitting for a player like Rojas, sticking with him proved to be the right call and paved the way for the Dodgers’ second consecutive title.
This World Series victory may have had its unique moments, but Roberts’ consistent, player-focused approach helped guide the Dodgers through adversity and to another championship triumph.
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