Dave Roberts: Dodgers Proved ‘How Tough They Are’ With Winning National League Pennant

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Originally published by DodgerBlue.com

The Los Angeles Dodgers are heading back to the World Series for the first time since 2020 after eliminating the New York Mets in Game 6 of the National League Championship Series.

The Dodgers’ postseason journey has been filled with plenty of highs and lows as they’ve had to navigate injuries to key players. The team also found itself on the brink of elimination after falling behind 2-1 to the San Diego Padres in the NL Division Series.

However, the Dodgers battled back to eliminate the Padres and avoided a repeat of the last two NLDS. “I think they proved to themselves how tough they are,” manager Dave Roberts said.

“I think that when you get in a position that we were in against a division rival, against a very talented team at that point, it turns into a street fight. It’s lose and go home, or you just fight like heck.

“And I think that that’s what got us over the top in the DS and also what bled into the fact it allowed us to finish these guys off in six games.”

Since knocking out the Padres, the Dodgers have gone on to do the same to a resilient Mets team that caught fire at the end of the season.

The Dodgers are now set to face the New York Yankees on baseball’s biggest stage, just four wins away from another World Series championship.

“That’s it. Obviously we’re going to celebrate tonight, as we should,” Roberts said after the Dodgers won the NL pennant.

“I think the whole world was looking forward or hoping for this potential matchup, this showdown. It’s going to be great. They’re a very talented team.

“But I think for us, it’s kind of one game at a time but appreciating the fact that we’ve still got four wins to take care of business.”

Dodgers adopted underdog mindset

The Padres were favored to win in the NLDS by the majority of analysts and media, and even some Dodgers fans counted them out due to their lack of starting pitching. But the Dodgers did not let the negativity get to them and instead adopted an underdog mindset that seems to be paying off.

“I sort of like the us-against-the-world attitude that our guys have sort of taken on. I think that’s kind of ironic with the Dodgers, but I like that,” Roberts said.

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