Dave Roberts looms as Dodgers unlikely playoff X-factor

About a month before his team reported to spring training this year, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts sat on the balcony of an upscale restaurant near his offseason home in San Diego, recounting his journey from franchise scapegoat to championship leader.The more Roberts spoke about his professional evolution, the more it became clear that he wasn’t just explaining who he was a manager at that moment.He was envisioning the manager he would become.“At 53,” Roberts said, “I feel I’m just scratching the surface.”His theory is about to be tested.The Dodgers have a loaded starting rotation.They have an experienced but inconsistent lineup.

They have a hodgepodge of a bullpen.And they have another X-factor in Roberts, who ranks third all-time in playoff wins as a manager with 59.No other manager in this postseason field has won more than 26.With the Dodgers reaching the playoffs in each of their 11 seasons under him, Roberts has already managed 117 postseason games.The experience has resulted in a change in how he sees October games.“It’s slowed down,” Roberts said.As the games unfold, he can better predict what will happen next.

When making decisions, he doesn’t feel rushed.That could be especially valuable in this postseason.The biggest news, opinion and culture shaping California right now.

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Never miss a story The Dodgers have an all-world rotation that includes Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Tarik Skubal, Blake Snell and Tyler Glasnow.They have two relievers they trust at the back of their bullpen in Tanner Scott and Roki Sasaki.The question Roberts will have to face on most nights will be how to manage the innings that aren’t pitched by the starter, Scott or Sasaki. When the Dodgers had a weak bullpen last year, Roberts’ approach was relatively straightforward: Ride the starters as long as possible, turn...