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Dodgers Manager Dave Roberts Has Overcome A 3-0 Deficit Once; Can He Do It Again?

The Los Angeles Dodgers’ manager, Dave Roberts, is drawing on a unique personal experience as he guides his team through a daunting 3-0 deficit against the Milwaukee Brewers in the NLCS. Roberts, now in his 50s, was an outfielder for the Boston Red Sox in 2004 when they famously erased a 3-0 hole against the New York Yankees in the ALCS—an unprecedented feat in MLB history.

In Game 4 of that series, Roberts executed a game-changing pinch-run in the ninth inning, scoring the tying run on a Bill Mueller single after outsmarting Yankees closer Mariano Rivera. The Red Sox went on to win four straight games and ultimately clinch the World Series, with Roberts’ clutch play serving as a turning point in the series.

Two decades later, Roberts is channeling the lessons from that moment, emphasizing resilience and adaptability to his Dodgers. He’s encouraging his players to embrace pressure while maintaining a lighthearted approach, a strategy he credits to his former manager, Terry Francona.

Former Red Sox teammate David Ortiz, who hit the walk-off homer in that 2004 ALCS, has publicly backed Roberts’ leadership, calling him the right leader for the Dodgers in this high-stakes situation. Meanwhile, the Brewers—who have dominated the series so far—now face the challenge of handling a team with nothing left to lose, a dynamic former Yankees stars Alex Rodriguez and Derek Jeter know well from their own 2004 experience on the other side of the deficit.

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