Dodgers' Dave Roberts Faces Scrutiny Over Opener Decision in Loss to Phillies
Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts is under fire after a strategic move backfired in Monday night's 6-5 loss to the Philadelphia Phillies. The decision to use reliever Anthony Banda as an opener, designed to neutralize the Phillies' left-handed hitters early, has drawn criticism from analysts.
The Opener Strategy and Its Consequences
Roberts opted for Banda to start against the Phillies, who feature left-handed sluggers Kyle Schwarber and Bryce Harper at the top of their lineup. The hope was to secure a quick three outs before handing the ball to starter Emmet Sheehan.
After striking out Harrison Bader, Schwarber blasted a home run off Banda, his 53rd of the season. Banda then walked Harper and was promptly replaced by Sheehan. Roberts defended his choice, stating that the team held a two-run lead in the seventh inning after Sheehan's outing. "You know, you just don't know," Roberts said. "Obviously, if I knew in hindsight that Schwarber was going to hit a homer – it still got us into the seventh inning."
MLB Network Analyst Questions Roberts' Approach
Brian Kenny of MLB Network openly questioned Roberts' decision on Tuesday, highlighting the success that Schwarber and Harper have had against left-handed pitching. Kenny, a proponent of the opener strategy in general, argued that it was not the right situation for Banda.
"The thing is, you either want to have a pitching advantage with some leverage pitcher on the mound — that’s not Banda — or you want a platoon advantage. By the way, that’s not victimizing either Schwarber or Harper." - Brian Kenny, MLB Network
"So, I'm saying, 'Dave Roberts, why?'" Kenny said on MLB Now. "'Why get cute when you don't need to?'"
Defense of Roberts' Strategy
Former MLB catcher Anthony Recker offered a different perspective, suggesting that the Dodgers may have been evaluating Sheehan's potential matchups against the Phillies in the playoffs or assessing Banda's effectiveness against those hitters for future scenarios. “Maybe there’s some part of them that knows Sheehan’s gonna face these Phillies come playoff time, ‘Maybe we save him an at-bat,'" Recker said.
Playoff Implications and Future Decisions
With the Dodgers likely to secure the No. 3 seed in the National League, a potential Wild Card series against the second-seeded Phillies looms. The outcome of this game has raised questions about whether Banda will get another opportunity against Harper and Schwarber, either in the current series or in the postseason. Although Sheehan delivered 5.2 no-hit innings, another left-handed pitcher, Jack Dreyer, surrendered the lead in the eventual extra innings defeat.
| Player | Stats vs. Lefties |
|---|---|
| Kyle Schwarber | .365 OBP, .593 SLG |
| Bryce Harper | Solid Performance |