Dodgers Territory - Dodgers Manager Dave Roberts Live Interview! WS Key Decisions & 2026 Outlook

Episode Date: February 20, 2026

Alanna Rizzo, Clint Pasillas and Katie Woo sit down with Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts live from Spring Training. The crew looks back at the 2025 World Series run, breaking down pivotal Game 6 and Game 7 decisions, Shohei Ohtani on three days rest, Yoshinobu Yamamoto’s availability, Miguel Rojas’ key moments and the tactical battle against the Toronto Blue Jays. Check out DT merch at dodgersterritoryshop.comSupport Guidry's Guardian at guidrysguardian.orgFind Clint on YouTube at youtube.com/@alldodgersFollow Katie's work at The Athletic nytimes.com/athletic/author/katie-woo/ Subscribe to Dodgers Territory on YouTubeRate and review our podcast on Apple and SpotifySee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I'm Daniel Alarcon, and this is my friend. This is much more famous than I am. I wouldn't go that far, but I'm John Green, co-host at the podcast The Away End, with my old friend Daniel. On our podcast, The Away End, we'll share with you the magic of international football, all leading up to the 2026 World Cup. Together, we'll find out why, of all the unimportant things, football, soccer, is the most important. Listen to the Away End with Daniel Alarcon and John Green on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. Then she says, have you seen a photo of my son? And I'm like, who is this person?

Welcome to the Boys and Girls podcast. Arranged Marriage is basically a reality show and you're auditioning for your soulmate. And who's judging? Only your entire family? I sacrificed myself to this ancient tradition, hoping to find love the right way. And instead, I found chaos, comedy and a lot of cringe.

Listen to Boys and Girls on the I Heart Radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast. On the Sino Show podcast, each episode invites you into a raw, unfiltered conversations about recovery, resilience, and redemption. On a recent episode, I sit down with actor, cultural icon Danny Trail, talk about addiction, transformation and the power of second chances.

The entire season two is now available to bench featuring powerful conversations with the guests like Tiffany Addish, Johnny Knoxville, and more. I'm an alcohol. And without this group, I'm going to die. Listen to the Sino show on the I-Hart Radio app, Apple Podcast or wherever you get your podcast. Everybody and welcome to a very special episode of Dodgers Territory.

We are live at Camelback Ranch, of course, the spring training home of the back-to-back World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers, a man that needs no introduction. Dave Roberts, the manager of the team joining us now. I'm Alana Rizzo alongside with Clint Paseas and Katie Wu. We are the host of Dodgers Territory for the upcoming season. Dave, thank you for doing this. Appreciate it very much. There's so much to talk about with the upcoming season,

but we want to take you back to the World Series last year, which one of the best World Series that certainly I have ever seen. Of course, it ended in the right way, right? So it's a good World Series for us. But I want to go back to game one and just the mentality and the mindset of going up against naturally the best club in the American League and the Toronto Blue Jays. But what did you think going into that series of the way that we're going to win this, is how?

The way we're going to win this, I felt that the Blue Jays didn't get enough credit kind of nationwide about how good they were of a ball club. Very gritty, very tough team. I thought we would perform better offensively against our pitching staff, but I just felt that we were going to be in for a dog fight. And so you try to win those games at home

and like I said, I didn't expect us to not perform offensively, but we really played defense really well. We pitched really well. And it was, I'm looking forward to digging into this World Series because I haven't, truth be told, I haven't gone back and replayed game one, three, five, seven, six, seven, all that stuff. So this would be good for my recall, too, having this conversation. I mean, it worked for us last year, too.

you know you win a world series again after we talk about uh 2024 this one it seemed i don't want to say easier in some ways but also a lot more stressful in other ways i mean obviously getting to the world series i don't want it's not a cake walk every team in baseball is very good but you guys uh maybe you mentioned there kind of face a little bit of a sucker punch uh meeting those toronto blue jays a little bit better that splitter from everybody was working very much uh we talked last year about baseball is kind of funny because something that maybe would have gone against you you guys six, seven, eight years ago. It seemed like it fell your way this last postseason. Baseball just weird? Is it something where maybe you're managing different with the gut,

the heart, all that kind of stuff? What can you kind of say? I'm probably not articulating this well because I don't want to take up everybody's time. But, you know, what changes between a 2017, 18, 2019 postseason to being able to put it all together. Yeah, you know what? And I don't know that answer. I think that's kind of a great thing about baseball where it is so unpredictable. And there are a lot of different pressure points in series. And you can look back and we can do a show where you're talking about 16, 17, 18.

Every single year, there are pressure points that went our way, decisions. that I made that went well and decisions I made that didn't go well. And then they looked at as good decisions or bad decisions. But yeah, in the past couple years, you need breaks too. So I don't think that I overhauled kind of the way I managed, but I do believe that I have really gone ahead and trusted players more than I have, and that kind of comes with experience. But again, the ball gets stuck in the outfield wall, a line drive,

right at Max Muncie when Blake comes in and, you know, that ball is down the line. It's a different series. And so there's a lot of things that happen that have to happen for you to win a championship. So I'm, my first game of the World Series is not game one. I was still doing Cardinals, but knew I was coming to Dodgers. So I hopped in on game three, which I may, essentially. Did you last 18 innings? Yeah, I essentially had two games.

That's right. Of course. But to make up for the two games that I missed, they put two games into one. And as I'm watching Game 3, and we're in a different press box, we're up in like left field. And I think the story by the seventh inning is going to be Otani's two homers. And never did I think the story was going to be a marathon 18 inning game. As you're watching this game transpire, especially when you get to like the 13th inning and you realize this is never going to end. We're going to be here for the rest of time. How do you, I mean, I think Andrew Friedman even came.

came out and that was the game where he actually threw a bar stool because he was convinced that, you know, were just so frustrated or all the emotions of this game never ending. How do you manage that side of it? And did it get to a point where you were like, oh my gosh, this will never, this will never end? I had thoughts that it was never going to end. I think you're managing the game first and foremost, but there was a point where I was really considering having, I don't know if it was Miggy Roe or Key,

was still in the game and having them come out and pitch after Will Klein because you're also trying to appreciate that you still got to win four games in this seven game series, albeit the World Series. And there was an attrition factor going on in that game and certainly with the pitching. And so knowing also Shohei had to pitch the next day or actually it was past midnight. So that same night, and Will Smith was going to catch the next night or that same night. And so I'm also thinking about attrition. And so that was kind of got me a little anxious. Very grateful that Freddie hit the Homer in the 18th. But Yamamoto, I mean, you wonder what would have changed if we didn't win it right there.

And Yamamoto had to pitch that game. But yeah, it was up and down. And you want to win them all. but I think at a certain point, I just wanted the game to end. I remember Ken Rosenthal, Dave, was reporting during the game because obviously he's a sideline reporter for Fox that you would consider using a position player to come in and pitch because you're trying, you're not just managing, of course, for that

when you have to think about the rest of the series. Did you ever think there'd be a time in your life as a manager where a position player might be pitching for your club in the World Series and try to continue to force the team? Absolutely not. I don't think that had been received well on social. No. But I think that if you look back, you know, and I'm managing the postseason where, you know, certain times,

and people hate saying it, but you got to punt and you got to try to win a series. And so at that point in time, you're trying to net out positives and negatives. But I did get to the point after talking to Yamamoto that he was ready and he was, I was willing to kind of fire that bullet if we needed to. But, yeah, Alana, I never thought even considering a position player in a World Series game. I remember looking over the railing there in the auxiliary press box, seeing Yamamoto. I see the intent change in his throw. I'm like, oh, shit, this could be real.

This could be, thank God for Will Klein. How about what that kid did? It's amazing, and he blacked out. And so that's sometimes, you know, you can't overthink things. And it was in the moment. And, you know, but it is a testament to when you don't give yourself an out. And I've even talked to him this spring and had him talk to the team about, you know, When you know you're the last guy available,

then you've got to be more efficient. You can't look to the pen for someone to save you. So this is a situation he's never been in, might never be in again. And so the way he performed, we certainly don't win that game without him, and maybe not the World Series, because obviously after that game,

we ended up dropping two more at home. So always be a Will Klein fan. Yeah, absolutely. Any go? This is what I think everyone wants to know. If you had to choose between Miggy Row and Kiki, who's taking the ball in that situation. You know what, I would say, I know one guy was in the game, one guy was out, but if I had to pick one, I got Miggy Row right now.

Kiki is, he's gone cold recently pitching, so he's giving up walks and some homers, so I'd go McGee Row. It started great. Yeah, then you got a little too froggy with that. That's right. That's right. I'm John Green. You may know me as the author of The Fault and Our Stars, and now I guess also as the co-host of The Away End, a brand new world soccer podcast. I'm Daniel Alarcon, a writer and journalist, and John and I have known each other since we were kids. My first World Cup was Mexico 86. I was nine years old. I watched every game and I fell in love. On our new podcast, The Away End, we'll share with you the magic of international football, all leading up to the 2026 World Cup.

For us, soccer, football, is a story. we've shared for over 30 years since Daniel was the star player on our high school soccer team. Very debatable. And I was their most loyal and sometimes only fan. I love this game. I love its history, it's hope, it's heartbreak, and above all, it's beauty. Together, we'll find out why, of all the unimportant things, football, soccer, is the most important. Listen to the away end with Daniel Alarcon and John Green on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts,

or wherever you get your podcasts. I went and sat on the little ottoman in front of him. I said, hi, dad. And just when I said that, my mom comes out of the kitchen. She says, I have some cookies and milk. This is this badass convict. Right. Just finished five years.

I'm going to have cookies and milk at my mom. Yeah. On the Ceno Show podcast, each episode invites you into a raw, unfiltered conversations about recovery, resilience, and redemption. On a recent episode, I sit down with actor, cultural icon Danny Trail, talk about addiction, transformation, and the power of second chances.

The entire season two is now available to binge, featuring powerful conversations with the guests like Tiffany Addish, Johnny Knoxville, and more. I'm an alcoholic. And without this trouble, I'm going to die. Open your free I-Heart Radio app. Search the Cito Show and listen now

Ever feel like you're being chased by the marriage police Welcome to boys and girls The podcast where dating isn't dating Arranged Marriage is basically a reality show Except the contestants are strangers And your entire family is judging You're sipping coffee with one maybe Grabbing dinner with another

And praying your karmic Ken or Barbie appears Before your shelf life runs out Trust me I've been through this ancient and unshakable tradition. I jumped in, hoping to find love the right way, and instead I found chaos, cringe, and comedy. And now, I'm looking for healing. Boys and Girls dives into every twist and turn of the arranged marriage carousel,

the meat, awkward, the near misses, the heartbreak, and let's not forget all the jokes. Listen to boys and girls on the I-heart radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Mind's set after game five. You guys are going back to Toronto. You need to win both on them. mindset after game five was the first thing I did after we lost that game was I texted migi row and said you're starting game six so that was the first thing I did I just felt we needed

some some infusion of megy row in game six and then I sent out a text letting the guys know that I want everyone to have we get to Toronto and then have an off day so there's no workout no problem. But then shortly thereafter, they reached back out to me saying the veteran guy is saying appreciate it, but we want to go, we want to work out. We've come this far. We want to work out. And so at that point in time, I'm on the plane. I'm giddy excited that our guys want to work out and not take the option to not practice. And so everyone shows up, got their work in. And I felt better about that and you know this group a lot of this group has played in elimination games on the road so we've had we've been there so i wasn't worried about the moment getting too big um i was happy that

yama was starting and i just felt if we could just sort of hang in there we're going to find a way to win and um again going back to miggy i just felt he made some great plays offensively got to hit that night and i just felt having a guy like that insert a it into the lineup. He's going to, not literally, but he will die on the field to try to get us to win again. And so I was excited about that. Absolutely need to expand more on, you know, Migy Roe being in that lineup. But first, that break between games five, game six, the boys want to go to the ballpark, you're there, how much of the race between Hessong? And I know you've talked a lot about this already at camp.

It's been asked a lot. But the race. between Dave Roberts Hess on Kim, how much of that was kind of spur of the moment? Any of that kind of premeditated a little bit here? Did you ever find the sniper that got you? That's another Yeah, that was a pretty good face plan. How banged up was knee, hamstring? Where were we had? It was hamstring. So I didn't find the sniper. So premeditated. I think it started where I was so excited about our guys wanting to practice. So then I was excited. And then as I got out there, the mood was fine, and I just wanted to jazz it up a little bit, add a little levity.

And so I felt that why not challenge our fastest runner to a foot race. And I didn't expect to win, but I didn't expect to do a face plan. But I think my purpose was served and everyone had fun. There was a little levity and then we went back to work. So some of it was premeditated, but it just didn't. The plan wasn't exactly, didn't plowed exactly as I wanted. Well, that was that was 2025. It's not 2004 anymore, Doc.

That's right, that's right. The legs ain't doing what they used to. But the thing is, Clint, is that your brain, as on 53 or not, your brain still thinks that it's like 27, 28. And you'll learn that when you get older. But then your body does it right, but you still are in that place. But let me tell you right now, I will never do a full sprint, a full speed sprint ever again, because my body is 53.

You were fresh out of the gate, though. You started out hot. I think the underrated part of this is I saw you the next day. They're golf carting you around. You still actually had dirt on your hat from the face plant. And I was like, that's a gamer right there. That's right. And I did take a tortoise shot, too.

So I was like, guys are doing turtle shots and doing everything could to get through the series. I'm like, sign me up. I'm in. Either way, game six and seven was going to feel good for you. That's right. That's right. I felt great, man. So let's talk about a little bit about game six, specifically the ending, because they're, and we've talked about this at camp already, just the different elements that could have not gone your way and it changes everything.

But when the ball gets stuck under the wall, what is your initial reaction? What did you want to see from Justin Dean? And how does that play out in real time reacting to something that we would probably never see again in that situation? Yeah. I think that I was very happy to see that he put his hands up. but I will say as the rule plays, if the ball is lodged, they will look at it. But Kike and Justin put their hands up, and so it was a ground rule double. I felt good about that.

I was so shocked. But I think for me is once that ball's hit, I'm thinking about the next move. So to be quiet honest with you, I'm not really reacting to the play. I'm trying to figure out, okay, do I need to have the infield in? do I need to get somebody else going? You know, who's coming up in the top half of the inning? So all those things. But it was just a really heady play.

And that's something that I take a lot of pride in and talking to our guys, not just about the talent, but being heady baseball players. And knowing the rules, knowing, you know, Miguel Rojas, we practice the infield in all the time. And so to make an accurate throw there. So, yeah, game six, you know, all the pitchers that we use, the different situation. But to look back at that, though, Katie,

it was a heady play by Kiki and Justin. Talking about the next move, how quickly do you have to make decisions? Very quickly, because in the postseason, obviously, everything happens faster and on the margins, everything matters. And, you know, not jumping ahead, but game seven, when Miggy hit the Homer, that was the only time that postseason where I really turned into a fan. Because as a manager, you've got to expect good things happen, bad things, to kind of how do you react or respond, right?

And so that's something that I wasn't expecting. So once he hit that Homer, I just turned into a fan boy. And so, but you've got to be steps ahead of it because, you know, I think that's why people, I probably get frustrated with me, you know, that I don't show a lot of reactions because I'm always thinking about the next move, the next move. And then once you put your fan hat on, you're not prepared for what outcome has happening in real time.

Miguel Rojas was on the show the other day, and he said when he was in the on-deck circle, he looked back looking for Danny Lehman, the Dodgers bench coach, and he had been pinch hit forward his career hundreds of times. He looked back to see if Danny was going to call him back for a pinch hitter. Danny wasn't there. He said, this at bat is mine.

and he couldn't, it wasn't that he couldn't believe it, but you telling him that he was going to start six and then seven, of course, was such a huge moment for him and probably the most unsuspecting guy to hit a home run. He was not a home run hitter. To hit it in that moment, what was bigger for you? The home run or the defensive play that he made? I think the home run, because I think that we can all count on Miggy's defense, and that's why, honestly, why he was inserted in the game,

and I just felt that he was going to do something and help the Dodgers win. The home run, because I talk a lot about the game ownership. And how or when, I don't know. But Miggie, to his credit, all season long, was a mentor to guys, a cheerleader, played for us when we needed him. And then you get to the postseason

and then he's not playing, not starting. And then when I called on him, he was ready. And so for him to get his flowers, moment on a big on a on a on a big on a big spot i was happy for him that's something that's going to be talked about for years and i think that him doing things the right way the game honored him in that moment so um yeah that's something that i'm going to really be really proud of the immediate impact he made obviously game seven makes an insane scoop from uh a heady play from kike double play you're like oh man this this could be real uh homer defensive play uh

in game seven to keep things alive, what was kind of the gut, the heart telling you that now is the time to pull the miggy lever? I think, you know, nothing against Andy at all. Andy was a big part of getting us there. I think for me it's you don't know until you know, and I say that and experience. Andy, next year, the year is following and throughout his career,

he's going to know how fleeting or how important how much he's going to care more about the postseason as you get more experience. And so now when you're talking about Miguel Rojas, he's at a 10-year career. He's talking about he's going to retire in 2026. 2025 could have been his last year with the Dodgers. So I wanted to bet on guys that it meant everything to them. And so, again, nothing against Andy, but I just felt right there. He was scuffling at the plate.

Tommy at that point in time, we felt he could go back out there and play centerfield. And, you know, like I said, Miggie was going to do anything he could to help us on both sides of the baseball in game six and seven. So when you're riding a lineup out, I said there's nine guys that I felt were of that same mind, and I was going to bet on that. When you look at the pitching that you had to manage in six and seven, I mean, your game seven starter is pitching the ninth inning all of a sudden in Tyler Glass now in game six. you have an all hands-on-deck situation with your rotation as your bullpen. How do you, looking at, you know, guys only have a couple innings at this point.

You also have Yamamoto and aren't sure on what that looks like. How do you manage ahead while also having to react in real time to these guys where everything is on the line and do you need all of them? I think for me there was a certain amount of guys that I was going to use in game seven. and even in game six, to be quite frank, because it was elimination. So I think that there's a certain amount of guys I was going to use.

And then so now, once you have a certain group of guys that you're going to use, then you've got to figure out how to stagger those innings out and weigh somebody not being as sharp versus introducing somebody else that you don't envision being a part of that equation. So that's kind of where my head is at. and then, you know, because even Shohay, for example, I knew that he didn't have his best stuff, but for me not to try to get him through three innings,

potentially could have introduced somebody else that I didn't want to pitch for usage or for whatever reason. And so you still got to cover nine innings. And so I think for me it's really just watching to see what the guy has, but it's betting on people. If I've learned anything about the postseason, it should have bet on people. You know, the season is a long season.

There's ups and downs. It's a marathon. And you have a lot more latitude and leeway to kind of navigate it. But the postseason, for me, it's about betting on people. And my job, the coach's jobs, are to get these guys prepared mentally and physically, you know, for those big spots. Because everything is certainly way more magnified. I'm John Green. You may know me as the author of The Fultonar Stars.

And now, I guess, also is the co-host of The Away End. a brand new world soccer podcast. I'm Daniel Alarcon, a writer and journalist, and John and I have known each other since we were kids. My first World Cup was Mexico 86. I was nine years old. I watched every game, and I fell in love. On our new podcast, The Away End,

we'll share with you the magic of international football, all leading up to the 2026 World Cup. For us, soccer... Football is a story we've shared for over 30 years since Daniel was the star player on our high school soccer team. Very debatable. And I was there. most loyal and sometimes only fan.

I love this game. I love its history, its hope, its heartbreak, and above all, it's beauty. Together, we'll find out why, of all the unimportant things, football, soccer, is the most important. Listen to the away end with Daniel Alarcon and John Green

on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. I went and sat on the little ottoman in front of him. I was, hi, dad. And just when I said that, My mom comes out of the kitchen and she says, I have some cookies and milk. This is a badass convict.

Right. Just finished five years. I'm going to have cookies and milk at my mom. Yeah. On the senior show podcast, each episode invites you into a raw, unfiltered conversations about recovery, resilience, and redemption. On a recent episode, I sit down with actor, cultural icon, Danny Trail, talk about addiction, transformation,

and the power of second chances. The entire season two is now available to bench featuring powerful conversations with the guests like Tiffany Addish, Johnny Knoxville, and more. I'm an alcoholic. And without this trouble, I'm going to die. Open your free I-HAR radio app. Search the Cito Show.

And listen now. Ever feel like you're being chased by the marriage police? Welcome to boys and girls, the podcast where dating isn't dating. arranged marriage is basically a reality show except the contestants are strangers and your entire family is judging your sipping coffee with one maybe

grabbing dinner with another and praying your karmic Ken or Barbie appears before your shelf life runs out trust me I've been through this ancient and unshakable tradition I jumped in hoping to find love the right way and instead I found chaos, cringe and comedy and now I'm looking for healing

Boys and Girls dives into every twist and turn of the arranged marriage carousel. The meet awkward, the near misses, the heartbreak, and let's not forget all the jokes. Listen to boys and girls on the Iheart radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. You bet on people. Kike's easy to bet on. There's something intangible about that guy. I mean, there's no place in the world he needs to be except in a Dodger uniform, especially in October. But what was your reaction when he's running to the ball in the ninth inning? You kind of see his back.

He didn't think he made the play. Andy Pahas comes up, obviously, with the ball. He's like, oh, thank God. From your dugout perspective, what are you thinking when he's running that route? I was just praying that it stayed in the ballpark. That's another play that I thought the game was going to be over. And Kiki, you know, he scooped the ball. So Kiki sort of broke in on that, trying to get a good jump on the ball.

And fortunately, Andy came out of nowhere. And, you know, you're talking about the moment. It's one of the – Yeah, Kiki thought he lost the World Series. We lost the World Series. And, you know, Andy makes his great play. And Kiki's only concern is, did you catch the baseball? And so – but it's just – it's one of those things that I think that's why everyone

loved that World Series because every – it just seemed like every player sold out on both sides of the baseball and left it all out there. Some guy who really sold out, left it all out there, Yoshinobi Yamamoto. Turns out 325, maybe a little underpay. It was a little light. Made your job a lot easier. Made all of our offseason a lot happier. I think he recently said he doesn't know,

doesn't want a statue, doesn't want to be thought of a legend or a hero. Guy is a hero. What does it mean to somebody like you and to that clubhouse what Yama did to put that team on his right shoulder? I just have the utmost respect for him. And, you know, and also, So, yeah, I mean, he was pushed beyond limits.

It just doesn't happen. And you see this, you know, you see the play, the Pahey's play right there. But what Yamamoto did, I think that he said it early on. Losing's not an option. And we needed every single inning and performance that he gave us to get through. You know, you're talking about Milwaukee, Philly, and then obviously the World Series, what he did, we'll be talked about for years.

But what I will say is that I respect the way that he kind of wants to put that in the past to focus on this year. And that's what the great ones do. You're always trying to push yourself and not rest on your laurels. So I respect that. But yeah, we're going to be talking about his performance forever. And we're lucky to have him. And that 325 seems like a bargain now.

I don't want you guys to stop winning world series. but if you do, we could have that. We saw a lot of Kirk Gibson Homer on the board there at Dodger Stadium. We could see some Yamamoto on there. But you keep winning. I guess you guys can keep winning. That's right. That's right.

Dave, when did you decide that Yamamoto was going to be available? And how much of that was Blake Snell really gutting it out before? Because I don't think, I think Blake has talked about this. Like he really had to grind through that arm was that was all he had. So when did you decide, okay, Yama's coming in? Well, I knew that he was going to pitch that night. Yata Sensei told Mark Pryor that he was going to be available. And so that was news to me.

I was like, okay, so if he's available, then I'm going to find a way. Yeah, what a weapon. And I think for me is I was going to find a way to get him in the game. And then kind of my point earlier was I knew he only had so many bullets. So how can, when can I deploy them? So with Glass and Robo and Blake, I just felt at that point in time, Blake gave us everything he had. He was on fumes.

And again, you're talking about elimination game. I needed to get out of that inning. And I felt in that spot, Yama was the best person to get us out of the inning. Because I think in the postseason, you kind of, you can't look too far ahead because every moment could be the game. And so at that moment, I just felt that Yama was the guy, and then I was going to ride him for as long as I could.

And I think after that first one in a third or something, he said to me, Daizhoubu, like, I'm good, I'm good. And then as a manager, I'm looking at my pitchers in particular for them to look at me and to make eye contact because I think that that's something

that is telling for a manager when the pitcher is looking for eye contact versus not looking for eye contact saying that they want to stay in the game. And so he was not looking my way. So I felt confident that he was still the right guy. Which parade was better? The second one.

Why? Because it was the most recent. I think... The next one. Yeah. That's right. That was my next answer. You know what?

I think the first one was awesome. I think, gosh, dang it, man. I just, the first was great. The second one was great. There was more people for the second one. I just, you can really, when you're in the bubble of playing or coaching, you can't really appreciate how many people are enjoying those moments with you. And then so to then be on the streets in Los Angeles and to see tears and cheers and cheers,

then you can sort of appreciate, oh, my God. God, these people were living and dying and how massive it is. So that's something that's really eye-opening, the passion, the love for the Dodgers. And, you know, the city's gone through a lot. The country's gone through a lot. But, you know, I've heard from a lot of people that aren't even sports fans or dog fans. Like, that World Series, I just could not.

I was glued to the TV. And that's a credit to all of us. best world series uh i've ever seen and i haven't seen a lot of them but i've seen a lot of them uh let's spin it forward um i watched your your speech here day one full squad got me wanting to run through a wall uh you sound like a guy that's been through quite effing literally everything and you're able to pull receipts and tell guys you know the kike play a miggy row play guys playing the game the right way um is is that kind of what it is just you've been through it all now. Like that was the most, I'm trying to think the right word for this.

Like you were locked in. You were laser focused in that messaging. And you're coming off of, you know, back-to-back World Series. Maybe last year it's a little bit of, hey, let's not have the World Series hangover. Now you know how to deal with that. Is that a little bit of the messaging there you put in day one? We've seen it. This is what I'm telling you, this is real. Every guy in this clubhouse, you mean something to this team, speak a little bit about your message there. Yeah. You know what? I, I, I, I, I, I think there's nothing more powerful than experience and having a lot of our guys go through and see it come to pass. You know, using, you know, the 59th person in the clubhouse, the 65th person in the clubhouse to then pitch in a World Series games.

We've seen that year in year. And so I think that, me bringing that to light lands with everyone in the room. where obviously Miguel Rojas, a bench player, a veteran guy, has arguably the biggest moment in Dodger history. That happened. So I think that messaging, I think, is easy to kind of make land or have land. I think for me is just trying to keep guys proactive and focused and hungry. I use that analogy about the greyhounds and how they kind of race chasing something

and not worrying about what's around them. But also, I kind of the thing I really wanted to get across in the meeting was, you know, competition, real competition is in its truest form is when both parties are prepared. And if you're really, really prepared, fear doesn't supersede, overtake the confidence and the joy of competing. And so my challenge to the guys is really try to dig into your soul and poke holes. in yourself and how can you get better? And so then when we're ready to compete in the biggest spots, we don't fail. Grounder to Mookiee, grounded to Mugi, a liner, soft liner to Kiki, in between hop to to Miggi to pick it.

You know, Freddie had a big pick off a Tommy Edmund throw in Philly. You know, Tommy saves a play going to his left to keep the ball in the infield. Those things happen because we prepare. And so that's kind of the overarching message. I try to give the guys. But the easy part for me is every single one of those guys believes it themselves. And so that's what's exciting for me as a manager. Well, as we look towards 2026, one advantage that this organization has for the first time is you can look to see a full season of two-way Shoah Otani. And it's going to be a little different. We've talked about the WBC,

the preparation, starting pitching depth and being conservative with all of your pitchers. What, how can he as a full two-way player really transform your season? What are some realistic expectations for him for a guy that defies all expectations? Yeah, you know, I think it's a good question. I know Shohay is trying to always strive to be better. I expect him to throw more innings than he did last year. I have a hard time kind of saying how many homers he could hit or how many runs he can drive in or if he's going to win the Cy Young,

I know his goal is to win the World Series, to be the best player he can be. And when you're talking about his talent, that should be an MVP, obviously, in the conversation. That should be a Cy Young in the conversation. So, you know, he's the best player that ever played this game. So for him to be able to stay healthy, keep him on the field, we're better for it.

The fans are certainly better for it. But I think with him, anything is possible, Katie, anything's possible with that guy. You're trying to run it back with a good core group of guys, but two huge acquisitions in Kyle Tucker and Edwin Diaz. What's been the earliest impact? Earliest kind of impact and just seeing is both guys are comfortable in their own skin. I think Kyle had offered opportunities to go elsewhere,

wanted to be a Dodger, and he's a quiet guy. He's not going to be a soundbite guy. He just wants to play baseball. He's a five-tool player. He can do it all. He's going to impact games every night in a lot of different ways. But I think that he doesn't need to try to fit in because it's just he is who he is. I love that.

Edwin Diaz is a guy that's just a lovable type guy. He's very accountable. He loves baseball. He committed to coming on the other side of the country, being from Puerto Rico, to play for the Dodgers to be a part of this. He wants to win a championship in the worst way. We now have a closer who I feel that is going to free up other guys in our pen. But great competitor, great stuff.

I can't wait to hear Timmy or Tommy trumpet when he comes out there. But again, he's like fun and lovable. When he gets out there, he's a savage, and I love those type guys. I have a piggyback kind of in the same vein of my. previous question, but we've heard a lot about the target on the Dodgers back. A lot of people like to say the Dodgers are ruining baseball when I can get into that BS because you're not. Does you feel the target anymore?

Or is it just you wake up, you're used to it? You're seeing the red dot on your chest? I think I'm used to it. It's been that way. I feel it's been that way since we've been here. But certainly since I've been here, but certainly, you know, when you win a championship, then people want to take what's yours. I just feel really good and confident that our guys have embraced that, and we're not going to relinquish it.

We're not going to give it away. Somebody's got to earn it and take it from us. But we also understand that there's a lot of work to be done. So, you know, people love to hate the Dodgers. And that means that we've done some good things. Yeah, absolutely. Dave, as we look to wrap this up a little bit, when you think about 2025, is there a lasting image, one that sticks out to you, that kind of captures that whole season?

What captures 2025? Yeah, there was certainly a lot of moments, a lot of great moments, a lot of... You know what? I think we lost in Baltimore. We lost three in Pittsburgh. We lost two in Baltimore. And even the second one was after Yamamoto was fantastic.

and left the game with a no-hitter or gave up one hit late, and we ended up losing that game. The way the guys came back after that, that's Sunday in Baltimore, Shohay let off with a homer, and we just took off from there. So I think that for me, that was the point that our team decided to hit the go button,

hit the gas, and not make excuses. The Padres were at our heels. The dimebacks might have been at our heels. And we were in a, at that point in time, but we just took off and we stuck together. So I think that's one of the hallmarks for our club that it's not linear. And, you know, when it is hot, when things aren't good, we stay together and perform.

So that was something that really sticks out. The Teo, Homer in Philadelphia was a big one. You know, winning in Philly is tough. That team was really good. It's a hostile environment. How we beat those guys when everyone, I think, all the pundits had those guys favored last year was a big one. But, yeah, there were just so many moments. And I think that you can look back at our season.

And it almost seems like there could have been a couple dozen players that had big moments for us last year. And that's a lot. There is no way in the world you thought Miguel Rojas was going to hit that. What was the percentage chance you thought? Oh, yeah, exactly. That's the thing is that all these people that think that analytics is everything. That's a 0.001 chance for a mid-homer. You just got to bet on the person.

And that's the great thing about our game. It's fun. And you just never know. And the game on our midi. And fortunately for the Dodgers, he's a Dodger. We didn't even talk about the wheelplay. Dave, we appreciate you so very much. Thank you so much for taking the time and breaking it down.

This is the stuff the fans love because everyone thinks that they can do your job. and it's the hardest job in the world. Best of luck on the three-peat. Good luck. All right. Thank you, guys. Thanks for having me. Appreciate you, Doc.

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