Dodgers News: Dave Roberts Doesn't Take Powerhouse Top of the Lineup For Granted

It's a lot easier to win ballgames when you can put Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman's names in ink at the top of your lineup day in and day out.

Following a 7-4 win over the Red Sox, the Dodgers find themselves 31 games over the .500 mark and just 4 games behind the Braves for the best record in all of baseball. The club's success wasn't expected to be like this entering the season.  

Then again, perhaps it can be argued that baseball pundits didn't give enough credit to the powerhouse one-two punch at the top of the lineup with Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman.

Certainly, the Dodgers' record doesn't sorely fall on Betts and Freeman. But this club would absolutely be in an entirely different position without them.

"I don’t take it for granted. I enjoy watching those guys,” manager Dave Roberts told MLB.com among others on Friday. “I don’t know if it’s competing against each other, but I do see them raise the level of play for each other. I think it’s sort of game-to-game and series-to-series. One game Mookie throws five hits, and the next game it’s Freddie’s turn."

Since the All-Star break, you'd be hard pressed to find a better duo in baseball.

Batting average since the All-Star break:
Freddie Freeman: .389
Mookie Betts: .388

— Dodger Insider (@DodgerInsider) August 26, 2023

Betts and Freeman are in the midst of a historic season for the Dodgers, something Betts says the two are growing more aware of.

“We know what’s going on, but I think we thrive on that pressure. We push each other. I’m telling him, ‘Come on, let’s go, let’s go, let’s go.’ He’ll say the same thing to me.”

And it's not just Mookie pushing Freddie and vice versa, it's both pushing the entire lineup, particularly late in games as we saw on Friday night which secured its 34th come from behind victory in 2023.

The Dodgers have scored 230 runs from the seventh inning on this season, which is tops in baseball. And most of that damage has come from the top where Betts and Freeman are first and second respectfully in OPS in the National League.

“We’ve leaned on those guys all year," Roberts added on Betts and Freeman. "Whether it’s the first inning or the third time through, it just seems those guys are in the middle of all of our offense.”

The best one-two punch gets back at it against the Red Sox today at 4 PM PT.