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Dodgers Spring Training: Dave Roberts expects Mookie Betts & Blake Treinen to rebound in 2026
Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts expects Mookie Betts and Blake Treinen to rebound after poor 2025 seasons, and discussed the Spring Training plans for Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto.
Video courtesy: SportsNet LA
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About David Roberts
During a pregame interview on SportsNet LA on May 24, 2026, Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts discussed several topics related to the team. Roberts explained his decision to move Teoscar Hernández down to the sixth spot in the lineup, stating that he wanted Hernández to get a different view of the game and that Hernández has been taking good at-bats. Roberts said he believes the team is at its best when Hernández is in the middle of the order, but that he does not want to be completely reactionary. Roberts also addressed speculation about whether second baseman Andy Pages was relaying signs from second base during the previous game. He noted that all teams engage in gamesmanship and that making a pitcher believe you have their signs can be an advantage, but he added that he did not think Pages had the signs on that particular occasion. Roberts described Pages as enjoying that type of gamesmanship more than most players and said he does not mind it. Regarding pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Roberts acknowledged that giving up two-strike home runs is a concern but expressed confidence that the home run rate would balance out over time, saying "he's too good."
Transcript (20 segments)
✨ AI-enhanced transcript with speaker attribution
I
Interviewer0:08
Well, Dave, I know we talked to Andrew yesterday and he made it very clear he's not going to be pitching in the World Baseball Classic, but to see him on the mound yesterday as he continues with his buildup, what did you see from him yesterday and how was the stuff coming out?
D
David Roberts0:21
You know what? I heard, I didn't see him. I was on the field too, but I heard it was good. He got his work in and I'm pleased with it. So just continuing the progression and go from there.
I
Interviewer0:34
Considering it's early in camp, a lot of guys came in ready. Do you feel really good as to where the pitchers are right now with games coming up this weekend?
D
David Roberts0:43
I do. There's some guys that are ramping up slower as we've talked about, but there are other guys that are ready to go. There's certainly a buildup and we have a lot of good arms and depth, some veteran guys, some guys we just signed, some younger guys. So just to give guys opportunities and see as guys get built up, but yeah, we're certainly ready to get going.
I
Interviewer1:07
Given what you said yesterday about Yamamoto and where he's at and wanting to get him into a Cactus League game, will he start Saturday or Sunday?
D
David Roberts1:16
That's the thought. The plan, I'm not sure which day, that's more Mark Prior driven, but that's the hope. If things go well, we should see him in one of those games.
I
Interviewer1:25
You saw Blake trying to throw. What can you expect from him at this stage of his career? What does he have left in the tank after what he did for you guys in 24?
D
David Roberts1:35
A lot left in the tank. I know the age is one thing, but for me it's what I see and what the ball is doing. He's healthy again. He's throwing the baseball, it's coming out really well. So I don't think it really matters, I don't care about the age. The body's moving well, he's still strong. I saw him a couple days ago and a few days ago and yesterday, it's as good as I've seen with the baseball in a while.
I
Interviewer2:01
How much can you lean on him? Is it the same type of high leverage situations or given everything that he's gone through and done, is it different?
D
David Roberts2:11
I certainly trust him. It's going to be high leverage. How much we lean on him, that's dependent on how he's feeling and who else we have around him and how they're throwing the baseball. But right now, he's a full participant, he's throwing the baseball well, feels good, and we'll go from there.
I
Interviewer2:29
How does Mookie look to you these first couple days and what are you going to be looking for out of him this spring to let you know if his swing is getting back to where he wants it?
D
David Roberts2:40
Last year started off certainly different with when we were in Tokyo and how he was feeling and the weight loss and all that stuff. I think he had a great offseason. He's in a good headspace, the body's good. For me, it's just getting back to being who he is. I think last year was an outlier offensive season and I'm not too concerned about Mookie at all.
I
Interviewer3:09
Do you still think that MVP caliber offensive player that we saw a couple years ago is still in there for him?
D
David Roberts3:14
Absolutely. I have no doubt about it. The way he played shortstop last year, expecting him to get better, be better offensively this year. He will be in the MVP conversation this year. But again, I think speaking for Mookie, his main goal is to help us win a championship. So I think whatever falls out from there will happen. I just want him to focus on being healthy, helping us win, and then whatever happens outside of that will happen.
I
Interviewer3:47
How much do you think hitting between Tucker and Freddie at times is going to help him and whatever he sees? And what changes from hitting leadoff to second to a guy hitting third between and behind those guys?
D
David Roberts4:00
I feel good with our leadoff hitter right now. For Mookie in particular, being leadoff the mindset of getting on base versus hitting behind Shohei in the number two spot. I like him in the number three in the sense that there's an on-base component, a get hits component, a drive-in runs component, and you're more of a Swiss Army knife in the lineup. So I'm not beholden to it, but I like him in the three-hole right now.
I
Interviewer4:36
Will that change right-handed, left-handed pitching?
D
David Roberts4:39
No. That should stay. I haven't totally figured out two and four, but I like Mookie in the three.
I
Interviewer4:49
You haven't had the conversation with those guys yet?
D
David Roberts4:52
Not yet.