Dodgers News: Dave Roberts Calls Out Giants for Cheating Tactics

Every Dodgers-Giants game is must-see television. Over the last several seasons, the two teams always deliver on the drama of baseball's best rivalry. On Thursday night, the Dodgers won in dramatic fashion thanks to a late comeback after giving up a five run lead. Friday night's game was another nail-bitter, with Cody Bellinger hitting a go-ahead grand slam that sent Dodger Stadium into a frenzy. But earlier in the game, manager Dave Roberts and his staff caught the Giants trying to steal signs.

Just four pitches into the game, Doc sent pitching coach Mark Prior to the mound after noticing that the Giants first base coach and hitter Austin Slater appeared to be relaying the signs between starter Tyler Anderson and catcher Will Smith.

The umpires huddled up after Roberts accused the first base coach of coming out of his coaching box in an attempt to relay signs to the Giants hitters. The coach, Antoan Richardson, was sent back to his box and the game continued after Prior advised Anderson to ensure his glove was more fully covering the ball.

The in-game oddity wasn't fully explained until the postgame press conference after the Dodgers 5-1 win.

Dave Roberts said the delay in the first inning was because the Dodgers dugout thought that Giants first-base coach Antoan Richardson was relaying signs to Austin Slater at home plate. They informed the umpires, who told Richardson to back up into the coaches’ box.
— Fabian Ardaya (@FabianArdaya) July 23, 2022

Giants manager Gabe Kapler and Roberts are no strangers to trying to gain a tactical advantage on one another. In past matchups, both managers have announced starting pitchers as late as possible, or even switched who was starting last minute.

After the game, Roberts cooly explained the reason for the in-game delay.

“Just a little gamesmanship, Roberts added. “They were doing some relaying of the signs by the first base coach, so wanted to kind of nip that, get the coach in the box, and let Tyler do his thing.”

To his credit, Tyler Anderson took it all in stride and didn't provide the Giants with any bulletin board material.

“If you expose yourself, that happens, and I think that's part of the game."

The third game of the four-game series will be broadcasted on Fox today with first pitch set for 4:15PM PT.