Dave Roberts Admits He Feared Yankees Returning to L.A. for World Series Game 6

Karl Rasmussen | Nov 4, 2024

Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts celebrates after winning the 2024 MLB World Series against the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium. / Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

The Los Angeles Dodgers closed out a five-game World Series against the New York Yankees in the Bronx, staging a dramatic comeback in Game 5 to clinch the franchise's eighth championship.

During a Monday appearance on Mookie Betts's podcast, manager Dave Roberts admitted that he's relieved the series didn't shift back to Los Angeles for a Game 6.

Elaborating, Roberts said that he was afraid of the pressure the Dodgers would face if tasked with having to avoid potentially blowing a 3–0 series lead. Roberts, who was part of the Boston Red Sox team that staged a 3–0 comeback in the ALCS against the Yankees in 2004, made it clear he was hoping to avoid ending up on the wrong side of history.

"When you're down 3–0, you're at the point where you have nothing to lose now... When you're down 3–0 everyone is expecting you to lose anyway. So now, that, for me, is freeing. And they played free, won Game 4. And I will tell you this now, publicly, I was so afraid to come back to Los Angeles for Game 6," said Roberts, when asked if he managed Game 5 with more urgency than usual.

"I was so afraid to come back to Los Angeles for Game 6."

Dave Roberts explains why he managed Game 5 with a different urgency pic.twitter.com/44IL5b1M55

— B/R Walk-Off (@BRWalkoff) November 5, 2024

"If we were to come back, the noise, the pressure becomes real. Because then, you're going to start potentially being part of history in the wrong way."

Roberts's urgency in Game 5 paid off, as a disastrous series of Yankees defensive miscues gave life to the Dodgers' comeback. They managed to secure the World Series win on the road, much to the relief of their manager.

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