Dave Roberts Expects Dodgers to Ride One Key Position Group to World Series

Aug 4, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts (30) congratulates starting pitcher Tyler Glasnow (31) after he pitched seven inning with seven strikeouts during an MLB game against the St. Louis Cardinals at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts spoke about the Dodgers starting pitching, and how they will be a key position for the remainder of the season.

After struggling with depth due to injuries among their starters for a majority of the first half of the season, the Dodgers have a six-man rotation and still have starter Roki Sasaki on his way back from a shoulder impingement.

“Things have certainly stabilized on the pitching side, certainly the starting pitching. It certainly gives us options,” Roberts said. “Like I said a couple weeks ago, I think we’re going to go as far as our starting pitching takes us. To have guys kind of in line, throwing the baseball well, I feel good about it.”

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Since the All-Star break, Dodgers starters have a 3.94 ERA, which ranks them seventh in MLB during that stretch. in the first half of the season, they ranked 20th in that regard. Five of the six pitchers currently in the Dodgers starting rotation have spent some time off the mound due to injury this season, the odd man out being Yoshinobu Yamamoto.

Dodgers starters have also been going deeper into games, resting their bullpen arms more than they did in the first half. Their starters pitched the fewest amount of innings in MLB during the first half, but are 16th in innings pitched in the second half.

The Dodgers lacked starting pitching during their World Series run in 2024, though were able to power through the postseason with their explosive bats, most of which they kept for 2025. With the same talent at the plate and a healthy starting rotation, the Dodgers are primed to make another deep playoff run come October.

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Before that, however, they will face the San Diego Padres in the final matchup between the teams this regular season. The Dodgers lead the Padres by just one game in the NL West heading into Friday's matchup, and will hope to once again win the series to maintain their spot at the top of the NL West.

Blake Snell will start against the Padres, hoping to replicate his shutdown outing last time out against his former team. He pitched six innings shutout innings on the way to a comfortable win for the Dodgers.

The first game of the series is Friday at 6:40 p.m. PT.

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