Dave Roberts, manager of the LA Dodgers, is often mentioned as someone who does not receive proper recognition despite leading the team to World Series titles in recent years. He manages a team full of superstars, a team that has won the World Series three times since 2020, yet the spotlight always falls on the players first.
On the 9th (Korean time), according to Dodgers Nation, a Dodgers specialty outlet, immediately after winning the decisive Game 7 to claim the title for a second consecutive year, co-owner of the team and Los Angeles Lakers legend Magic Johnson was the first to mention Roberts by name. He praised him, saying, "Today the manager created the victory. He is a truly great manager and a person who will go to the Hall of Fame."
Johnson, a Basketball Hall of Famer and five-time champion with the Los Angeles Lakers, knows the weight of "greatness" better than anyone. His remark prompted a reexamination of Roberts' leadership.
The scene that completely changed the flow of the World Series began in Game 5. Roberts removed struggling Andy Pages from the starting lineup, put Alex Call in the outfield, and moved Kiké Hernández to center field. He made bold lineup moves, moving Mookie Betts from leadoff to the No. 3 spot and bumping Will Smith to the No. 2 spot. The result was a loss, and the Dodgers, down 2-3, faced the brink as they headed to Toronto.
But in Game 6, he made another change. He started Miguel Rojas, who had gone over a month without a hit, at second base, put Tommy Edman in center field, and shifted Hernández to left field. Call moved to the bench, Betts dropped to the No. 4 spot and drove in two runs. The Dodgers won that game, forcing a Game 7.
Roberts' true value was revealed in Game 7. He made the bold move of turning four starters into relievers, and the most controversial moment came in the ninth inning. With two outs away from ending the season, Miguel Rojas hit a home run to tie the game at 3-3.
And an even bigger decision followed. Facing a 1-2-3 bases-loaded threat with one out in the bottom of the ninth, Roberts pulled Blake Snell, a two-time Cy Young winner, and brought in Yoshinobu Yamamoto, who had thrown 96 pitches the previous day, without giving him a day off.
It was a risky choice, but the result was perfect. Yamamoto immediately escaped the bases-loaded jam, then endured 2⅔ innings to shut down the Toronto lineup. In the top of the 11th, Will Smith hit a home run. Betts completed a double play in the bottom of the 11th with a runner on, sealing back-to-back championships for the Dodgers.
In this process, Roberts' lineup changes and pitching management may not be recorded like flashy home runs or saves. But with Magic Johnson publicly mentioning his name, baseball fans have begun to say that the Dodgers' championship was completed not only by the players but also by the manager's courage and decisions.
This moment may be the starting point that brings Dave Roberts one step closer to Cooperstown (the National Baseball Hall of Fame).<
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