Dodgers postgame: Dave Roberts talks Max Muncy knee injury & Clayton Kershaw’s 3000 strikeouts

Dodgers postgame: Dave Roberts talks Max Muncy knee injury & Clayton Kershaw’s 3000 strikeouts

[Music] ahead of the game. You told us that you were going to manage things a little differently for Clayton Kershaw. Even after that big thing, I saw whether it was Kik or Freddy kind of staring over at you trying to see what your decision was going to be just to send Freddy back out there. What confident, excuse me, to send Clayton back out there? What confidence did you have just knowing that he could finish this tonight?
Um, well, I was hopeful for sure. Um obviously you go through five innings and he has two strikeouts and pitch counts climbing up there and um you know it was just one of those things that I felt that I was going to give him every opportunity uh to to do it at home. And um you know fans showed out from the first pitch. Everyone was so excited and um I wanted to give Clayton every opportunity and uh that was his last hitter, you know. So that was his last hitter and uh get give him the call third strike. He wasn’t the slider, but uh it was a strike out. So uh you could see the emotion that he had today trying to um you know get that third strike. And I think, you know, you look at the first probably 14, 15 hitters, he got to two strikes, probably 10 of them, and just couldn’t put them away. And so, uh, just couldn’t execute that final pitch. But, uh, I think it just happened the way it’s supposed to happen in the sense that it was a third out. We got a chance to really celebrate him, him to take the moment. Um, Will Venal and the and the White Socks and Wolfie and the umpires did a great job. um given Clayton his time. So, it was it was a huge moment and um really happy for Clayton.
You’ve witnessed so many things or even experienced them as a player, as a manager, World Series. What how do you describe what this was like for you, for Clayton, and just kind of how this compares to so many of the accomplishments that Clayton has had?
I I think this is probably, you know, the 300 wins um for Clayton, I’m sure. Um, but I think this is, you know, the Sai Young’s certainly, uh, but I think that to to do to get 3,000 strikeouts, that that takes a long time and a lot of, you know, trials, tribulations, uh, surgeries, rehab, uh, frustration, tears, um, to continue to fight back, come back, show up, and and post, that’s hard to do. And so to get 3,000 strikeouts and and for me to be a part of, you know, the back part of that journey for him, uh there was a lot of emotion for Clayton and um I hope he enjoys this one and and now I think he can even say that every box, you know, for him has been checked.
You and he have had so many good and bad moments here at Dodger Stadium. What did the embrace mean to you? Um, I I think it was just a culmination of, you know, he never wants to make it about his individual accomplishments, but I think that we’ve been through a lot together. And so I think that, you know, I’m one of the few people in in uniform that has been through it with him, right, for for quite some time. And so, uh, you know, we have a great relationship. And, um, so that was kind of what the embrace is about. What did it mean, do you think, for Clayton that you won the game? He didn’t get the win, but when he goes back and looks at this box score in 20 years, it says the Niger won the game.
I I think that means a lot. I I think that means a lot. Absolutely. Because um like I said, he never wants to make something about himself. And his goal is when he pitches to win the baseball game. And ultimately, I just appreciate the way that, you know, our guys understood the moment. Um, today was going to be about Clayton and rightfully so and to kind of get that part of it to then recalibrate to still focus and find a way to win a baseball game. I do think that that makes Clayton feel better that you know the four runs that he gave up or whatever it was didn’t cost us the game as well. Is there uh was this as excruciating to watch down in the dugout and on the field as as it was upstairs? Yes, it was. Yeah, it was.
I don’t know that I’ve ever experienced many.
Yeah. No, it was it was it was it was it was tough in the sense that, you know, you want to put him in the best position to, you know, get the 3,000 strikeouts. He’s so close. We can all kind of see it and you’re trying to will it to happen. um you’re trying to still manage a ball game. Um you then you’re I’m thinking about, you know, stress and pitch count and there was a lot of effort tonight from him. So he’ll feel it tomorrow and so uh so there was a lot of kind of trying to figure out how far I push him. Yeah. Pretty heavy.
Very heavy.
Hey, how’s how’s Max?
Um so Max is going to get get an MRI tomorrow. Um, you know, a lot of the tests that they did right now, uh, we feel optimistic and I I think that our hope is that it’s a spring. So, um, obviously for the next, you know, few days, I’m sure he’ll probably be down. Um, but again, the MRI tomorrow will will show more.
Do you expect this to be an I spin?
What’s that?
Do you expect this to be an I spin your head? Um, I think we’ll just wait and see how what what uh the MRI kind of shows.
Which ankle, John?
Uh, it was his knee.
His knee
and uh I think it was his right knee if I left.
Left knee. Left knee. Left knee.
Dave, back to Clayton. That standing ovation is about 6 minute standing ovation. What did you think of the way the fans showed their appreciation for Clayton today?
Uh, it was not surprising. Um, like I said before the game, uh, our fans have been with him since he was 18 years old. Um, 20 years old, making his debut, whatever it was. Um, so they’ve seen the whole evolution. They’ve been with him uh, through this entire step of the way. Um, you know, the buzz tonight felt a little bit like a playoff game. You know, there was a lot of kind of all the fans were into it from every pitch. certainly when he got to two strikes um you know when he kept going back out of the dugout and so uh not surprising you know our fans are certainly invested in in number 22 and rightfully so made a steal there in the ninth to get himself in that position of that run was that your call or that
that was something that uh he has a green light and um I I felt that that was a a chance to um get in the scoring position for well and so uh that was a that was a an educated gamble and uh certainly show got a good jump right there and it was a good baseball play.
Was there any discussion with Clinton after the fifth inning about what you guys wanted to do? Did you just send him out there?
I sent him back out. No discussion.
Did you like after every two strike two strikes did you like train like get one more get one?
There were a few hinaries in there. Yeah. Yeah. Dave, what’s it like to be in the dugout with him, especially during a game? And this one especially.
This was this was a little bit like a like a no hitter. It was kind of where you just don’t want to I didn’t I didn’t I don’t think I made eye contact with him tonight. Um did certainly didn’t talk to him, so actually a little bit felt like a no hitter.
You said you were going to watch this kind of from a fan first perspective as well. Did it live up to the hype? Uh yeah, I did. Um now I understand how fans feel. Um yeah, you know, you’re just pulling for I was pulling for him. Um I was pulling for him and I just wanted it to happen tonight. I really did for everyone. Dave, you mentioned kind of just being a fan of baseball. Kind of one of the big arguments is who’s the pitcher of this generation. You saw Max’s 30,000 strikeout. You see him brilliant a lot. Does this kind of come over the top and just kind of do you think he’s the pitcher of the generation? Just kind of what makes him stand out? Um, I think so. I I think that um as much as he’s won the the ERA, the strikeouts, the 300 wins, um, two championships, um, but yeah, I I I think he’s the pitcher of the generation. Yeah.
Dave, you talked about his journey for for you being such an integral part of that journey. What impresses you most about what he’s done in that journey to get to 3,000 tonight?
Um, I I I think the thing that probably impresses me the most is uh the consistency of preparation. Um, I think that anytime you, you know, you make an all-star team, you win a Sai Young, you win an MVP, you win a World Series, you get a contract, another contract. Um, with Clay, there’s never been a let down. and how he prepares and um you know whether like I said earlier he was doing dry work or you know the stuff in the weight room and his sprints before you know he’s going to be doing sprints tomorrow. He’s going to be running 120 ft tomorrow in left field and he’s done it for 18 years. So for me um you know it’s hard when things are going well or bad to remain uh consistent with how you prepare and I think that’s for me um very very admirable and that’s certainly a underelling I just don’t have an adjective to describe that.
We’ll do one or two more if you want or none. Thanks guys.

Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts discussed getting to witness Clayton Kershaw reach 3,000 career strikeouts and initial optimism with Max Muncy’s left knee injury.
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