Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts admitted to mishandling reliever Pedro Baez after the team’s 8-7 Game 4 loss to the Tampa Bay Rays on Saturday night at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas.
Roberts pulled starter Julio Urias in the fifth inning for Blake Treinen. Then he pulled Treinen in the sixth for Baez, who allowed a 3-run home run to the first batter he faced. Baez got the final two outs to end the inning, but he surrendered the 4-2 lead and let the Rays take a 5-4 lead.
As if inserting Baez into that situation wasn’t bad enough, Roberts screwed up even more.
Roberts admitted after the game that he told Baez that the reliever was done for the night following the sixth inning. But after the Dodgers took a 6-5 lead, Roberts changed his mind and asked Baez to pitch the seventh.
Dave Roberts said he takes the blame for sending Pedro Báez back for the seventh inning. He had told Báez he was done after the sixth, but changed his mind when the Dodgers took the lead.
— Pedro Moura (@pedromoura) October 25, 2020
Baez, who had just been told he was done for the night, gave up a solo home run to Kevin Kiermaier to tie the game at six. He managed to get the rest of the outs to end the inning, but not before surrendering four runs on two home runs in his appearance.
Then, of course, the Dodgers completely melted down with a Little League play to end the game.
With the way the Dodgers blew that game and Roberts admitting to his mistake, you can bank on Roberts being fired if the Dodgers fail to win the World Series.
