Dodgers Manager Reacts to Historic Regular Season
When Freddie Freeman squeezed the throw from Tommy Kahnle to retire Ha-Seong Kim for the third out in the bottom of the tenth inning last night, it secured Kahnle's first save with Los Angeles. More importantly, though, it secured the 107th win of the season for the Dodgers, a new franchise record.
To find the previous record, you have to go all the way back to the last two full seasons the Dodgers played. Both the 2019 and 2021 teams went 106-56 on the season, with an absurdly impressive 43-17 2020 season in between.
After the game, L.A. manager Dave Roberts talked to the media (including Bill Plunkett of the Orange County Register) about what it means to set a record like this with a franchise as storied as the Dodgers.
“To know that we’ve made our mark on Dodgers history is pretty remarkable,” Roberts said. “A lot of people have their hands on this, not just this year but kind of building where we’re at right now. It’s something to be proud of. It’s part of the journey and we still have a lot of baseball to go. But there are certain markers that you have to take notice of and celebrate and this is certainly one.”
When the Dodgers clinched the NL West a few weeks ago, the common theme in the clubhouse was that it's nice, but it's not the ultimate goal. Obviously, setting the franchise record for regular-season wins isn't the ultimate goal, either. But, as Roberts says, every once in a while, you do something that needs to be acknowledged, and this is one of those times.
