Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts expressed his opinion on the team’s performance in the loss to the New York Mets in Game 5 of the National League Championship Series. Roberts said the team lacked the urgency needed to compete at the highest level in the MLB playoffs.
The New York Mets took an early lead that allowed them to maintain the necessary pace to secure the victory. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts criticized his pitchers’ ineffectiveness and their inability to maintain control of the game.
Roberts analyzed the mistakes made by the Dodgers and emphasized the importance of playing with urgency and determination. The manager pointed out that the lack of concentration and execution in key moments were determining factors in the defeat.
“I think you can see from kind of my demeanor that we’re playing with urgency tonight,” Roberts said before Game 5, according to CBS Sports. “I think you can see that things can happen when a team starts to build momentum. So, yeah, we want to kind of take our momentum and keep it going, put these guys away. Because of my past experiences—and unfortunately I was on the good side of the other thing—but, yeah, I feel that. I understand that.”
Andy Pages #44 of the Los Angeles Dodgers high-fives Shohei Ohtani #17 after hitting a three-run home run in the fifth inning against the New York Mets during Game Five of the National League Championship Series at Citi Field on October 18, 2024 in New York City. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images)
Additionally, Roberts criticized the decision to keep Jack Flaherty in the game longer than necessary. “He wasn’t sharp, clearly,”Roberts said about Flaherty after Game 5. “He’s been fighting something. He’s been under the weather a little bit. So, I don’t know if that bled into the stuff, the velocity. I’m not sure. I haven’t talked to Jack.”
see also
MLB News: Dodgers manager Dave Roberts shares his thoughts on Shohei Ohtani's NLCS performance
The Dodgers’ path forward in the NLCS
Despite the loss, the Dodgers still have a chance to advance to the World Series, as they hold a 3-2 lead in the series. It will be crucial for the team to stay calm and focus on the goal of winning the MLB World Series.
