LOS ANGELES — Dave Roberts had a lot to talk about after Friday night’s 5-4 win over the Diamondbacks, and his postgame session covered just about everything Dodgers fans were still buzzing over as they headed for the exits. There was Edwin Díaz’s trumpet-backed entrance, Mookie Betts’ power, the new-look bullpen, the championship rings, and the uneven but important outing from Emmet Sheehan. Roberts sounded like a manager who knew the night had a little bit of everything. It was a ring ceremony night, a one-run game, and a chance for some of the Dodgers’ biggest additions to leave an early mark.

“Narco” Live and In-Person

Roberts was all for the live trumpet moment once he heard it might actually happen. “I got word that there might have been a live trumpet player. So that was great, having the lady out there doing it. I was hoping to get him in there, and it worked out and he performed. I think the fans got what they were hoping.”

Roberts also gave a little window into how the Dodgers landed Díaz in the first place. He said he did not think they had much of a chance at the start. “All in, I didn’t think we had a chance going into the winter. Then I was on vacation and I got a call from Andrew and said, ‘Hey, we’re going to get on a call with Edwin Díaz and Matt had an opportunity to have a chat.’ We talked for about 45 minutes on Zoom. Afterwards I told my wife, ‘We’re going to get him.’”

Doc said that feeling came from the tone of the conversation and what the Dodgers were selling. “It was just kind of selling ourselves and talking about how much we value him and the culture and the team and ownership and how we’ll do anything to win. If you really want to win a championship, this is the place to be.” Roberts added that Díaz’s brother being with the organization last year also helped make things feel more familiar.

He made it clear that having a true closer matters, especially on a night like this one. “It’s great. It is. The dependability, the constant of having somebody at the back end that you trust and who has a track record. Then it just kind of allows you to deploy the pen in rightful spots for them to have success, all the while knowing you have a guy at the back end that is a shutdown guy. To have a guy at the back end is huge.”

New Dodgers Front and Center

Roberts’ praise wasn’t limited to Diaz. In fact, he noted that all three Dodgers who were not a big part of 2025 contributed mightily on Ring Ceremony night. “Freeland doubles and had a huge night obviously,” he said, recounting the game-winning eighth-inning rally, “and, you know, for Sho [Shohei Ohtani] to get him over to third base was big and and just giving himself up to find a way to get Freeland to third base with one out and then for Tuck to have good at bat, get a base hit. So, yeah, the two acquisitions this this off season came up big.”

Emmet’s Night

On starter Emmet Sheehan, Roberts was honest that the Dodgers are still trying to figure out why the strong first inning did not carry deeper into the start. “We’re still digging into that. I don’t have an answer because the first inning the velocity was good. The breaking ball was sharp, the changeup was good, and then it just sort of started to fall off a little bit. The slider started to blend a little bit and didn’t have the depth.”

Roberts said Sheehan appeared taxed by that point, but he was also careful not to jump to conclusions. “Our staff has talked to Emmet and he says he feels good. He feels strong. He works as hard as anybody. I said earlier today it’s probably something mechanical, but physical, the players have got to let us know a little bit too. We haven’t heard anything about that part. So I don’t have the answer.” He also said the drop in stuff likely played into Sheehan leaning more on his changeup as he tried to navigate the lineup.

Mookie’s Dinger

Roberts had good things to say about Mookie Betts too, and the first thing he noticed was physical. “He’s more physical. That’s the first thing you see. He’s worked a lot on the strength part of it, the mass part of it, and the swing is in a really good spot.” Then Roberts added the part Dodgers fans will love hearing after Betts’ home run to center. “There might have been two balls I’ve seen at night him hit the ball to center field for a homer in his time here. So that’s doing something pretty special.” He also pointed out that Betts is “playing the heck out of shortstop as well.”

And yes, Roberts was impressed by the ring. “The ring was gorgeous. Substantial, pretty big, but really cool. You can kind of open it up and then see like a ring within the ring. So it’s more of a band. I might wear the band, but the big part will probably stay in the safe.”

That sounded about right for the night as a whole. The Dodgers got the pageantry, the power swing, the closer entrance, and the win. Roberts’ comments matched the feel of the evening. It was flashy in spots, tense late, and a whole lot of fun for a stadium full of fans who had been waiting a long time to celebrate another opening night like this.

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