How Dave Roberts Made The Wrong Moves In World Series Game One

The wrong pitching decision can make or break a World Series. Dave Roberts rolled the dice by leaving Blake Snell in too long in Game One, and his bad bet put the Los Angeles Dodgers in a 1-0 deficit to the Toronto Blue Jays.

The final score of 11-4 makes the game seem like a laugher rather than the type of close game that can go either way based on a pitching decision. However, it was tied at 2-2 entering the bottom of the sixth inning. Snell walked Bo Bichette on a 3-2 count to open the frame, then allowed a single to Alejandro Kirk, and hit Isiah Kiner-Falefa with a 3-2 pitch to culminate a nine-pitch at-bat.

That’s the point when Roberts finally pulled him from the game at 100 pitches on the nose. No reliever likes to enter a contest with the bases loaded and no outs—especially in a tie game in the World Series—but Emmett Sheehan surrendered two hits and a walk and recorded only one out. He was lifted for Anthony Banda, who gave up two home runs, including the first pinch-hit grand slam in World Series history to Addison Barger.

When the dust cleared, the Blue Jays had sent 12 batters to the plate in the inning, scored nine runs, and sealed a victory in the series opener.

In retrospect, the pivotal moment was sending a shaky Snell out to start the sixth. He has a long history of playoff success, and had allowed only two runs in 21 innings and three starts this postseason before last night’s game. In his most recent start, he limited the Milwaukee Brewers to one baserunner over eight innings in the first game of the National League Championship Series.

It was evident in the early and middle innings of World Series Game One that Snell didn’t have his best stuff. Through five innings, he allowed seven hits and two walks while striking out four batters—an uncharacteristically low total for him. One of those hits was a game-tying two-run home run by Daulton Varsho in the fourth inning.

If Roberts could do it over again, he would’ve gone to his bullpen at the beginning of the sixth with Snell at 84 pitches and looking less crisp than usual. At the very least, he would’ve gone batter-to-batter, and relieved him after the leadoff walk to Bichette.

The problem is that the bullpen has been the Dodgers’ Achilles heel all season. Back in spring training, they were hailed as a super team and expected to clear 100 wins easily. Instead, they finished 93-69 despite a roster full of MVPs, Cy Youngs, All-Stars, and future Hall of Famers. The culprits for their worse-than-expected record were pitching injuries and a bullpen ERA of 4.27, 21st in MLB.

Starting pitchers Sheehan and Roki Sasaki have picked up the slack, working in relief this postseason. Obviously, Sheehan didn’t get the job done last night. Perhaps Roberts went with him because his three best conventional relievers—Banda, Jack Dreyer, and Alex Vesia are all left-handed, as is Snell, though Vesia is unavailable due to a personal family matter.

That being said, Toronto’s best platoon hitters swing from the left side of the plate. In the fateful sixth inning, the Blue Jays sent up two pinch-hitters. Nathan Lukes took over for the light-hitting Myles Straw and drew a bases-loaded walk. Barger, who blasted 21 homers during the regular season, pinch-hit for Davis Schneider and gave Toronto fans a moment they’ll never forget.

Getting the pitching decisions correct is one of the most challenging aspects of managing, especially in the playoffs. Dave Roberts made missteps in Game One, and now the Blue Jays have the early advantage in the World Series.