Dave Roberts Calls Out Mookie Betts' Mistake in Dodgers Loss

Aug 25, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers shortstop Mookie Betts (50) throws to first for the out against Cincinnati Reds shortstop Elly De La Cruz (44) during the ninth inning at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images | Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts admitted shortstop Mookie Betts could have made a better effort in signaling Kike Hernandez to slide into home in the bottom of the fifth inning in Saturday's loss to the Arizona Diamondbacks.

Left fielder Lourdes Gurriel Jr. threw out Hernandez — who didn't slide — at home after a Shohei Ohtani fly ball. The Dodgers would have taken a 1-0 lead had he scored — their first lead of the series.

“Fly ball to left field. Tag situation. I tagged and went home,” Hernandez said. “The throw took the catcher towards where Mookie was, telling me to slide. I didn’t see Mookie. I didn’t slide and I was out. I thought I was safe.

“I feel like that play could have changed the momentum of the game. It didn’t go our way.”

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Betts, as the on deck hitter, has the responsibility of telling the runner whether or not to slide into home and which direction to slide in order to avoid the tag. On this occasion, he was too far to the left for Hernandez to see him.

“Obviously, Gurriel makes a really good throw, good play, and he couldn’t see Mookie to say to slide,” Roberts said. “You can kind of talk about the mechanics, but we just didn’t execute a play. ...You know what? Ideally, you gotta be in a better lane for the runner to see you, and he just didn’t get there in time."

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The Dodgers did not score first in the contest, and allowed three D-backs to cross before scoring one of their own. They lost the game, 6-1. The Dodgers' run on Saturday is the only one they've scored this series against the Diamondbacks, as they lost the opening game, 3-0.

Their loss Saturday allowed the San Diego Padres to gain a game on them in the NL West, and their divisional rivals now sit just one game back of first place in the division.

The Dodgers will look to bounce back and avoid a sweep in the final game of the series when Yoshinobu Yamamoto takes the mound. The final game of the series begins on Sunday at 1:10 p.m. PT.

For more Dodgers news, head over to Los Angeles Dodgers on SI.