The Los Angeles Dodgers are on the brink of elimination. With a 6-2 loss in Game 3 of the National League Championship Series, they are at risk of being swept by the Milwaukee Brewers and watching their chances of a three-peat be dashed.
Manager Dave Roberts has been in this position before as a player. In 2004, the Boston Red Sox faced a 3-0 deficit in the American League Championship Series before rallying to win four games in a row and knock out the New York Yankees before sweeping the St. Louis Cardinals in the World Series. A key stolen base by Roberts in the ninth inning of Game 4 sparked the comeback.
However, after Game 3 of the NLCS, Roberts was asked about the 2004 comeback and made clear that that is not his focus heading into Game 4 against the Brewers.
“I think they’ve all seen the documentary. They know it can happen.”
“They’ve all seen the documentary, so they know it can happen,” Roberts said.
Dave Roberts Weighs in on 2004 ALCS Comeback
It has been 22 years since the Red Sox pulled off their comeback against the Yankees. They were three outs away from being swept out of the playoffs by the Yankees.
Roberts obviously played a key role in that as a player with his stolen base. But the point he makes is that what happened in 2004 is irrelevant. The Dodgers are in the exact same spot as the Red Sox were, but to win this series, the focus isn’t going to be on the past, but rather, what they can do to chip away at the Brewers.
No two situations are going to play out exactly the same, even though the Dodgers are in the same position the Red Sox were all those years ago, this potential comeback will look a lot different.
Things are not looking good for the Dodgers, but Roberts made clear that he doesn’t want his team to dwell on the past and try to find inspiration in something that took place 22 years ago.
What that series proved is that it’s always possible for the unexpected to happen, and it is a reminder that it’s never over until it’s over. But that was a long time ago. The Dodgers have business to take care of and cannot afford to get lost in the past and try to replicate what was done.
They’re going to have to do it their own way. They have won back-to-back World Series titles after all, so there is certainly still some hope.
What’s Next for Los Angeles Dodgers After Game 3 Loss?
The Dodgers have already announced Tyler Glasnow as their Game 4 starter. If they win Game 4, they’ll get the ball back in Tarik Skubal’s hands for Game 5. Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Blake Snell would be next in line for Games 6 and 7 if the series gets that far. One win could potentially give the Dodgers a little bit of momentum as they try to get back to the World Series and stave off elimination, but there is a lot of momentum that they are already up against as they head into Game 4.
What Dodgers’ Dave Roberts Said About Being Down 3-0 in NLCS