SAN DIEGO -- Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said his club's recent tailspin, including Saturday's doubleheader sweep by the Padres, isn't a sign that he's taking the foot off the gas.
"It's the same team, we have the same goal, we're going to be just fine," Roberts said. "We can't win every game. I know there's fans, I see it, and that's why fans are fans. They're very passionate. I hope they don't jump off the bandwagon."
After running away with the best record in the game (91-36), the Dodgers came into Sunday's play losing seven of their last eight, the division lead trimmed from 21 1/2 games to 14 1/2 games. Short starts have worn out the bullpen despite the arrival of September callups.
"I don't want to share those publicly," Roberts said jokingly, when asked what feedback he's received from son Cole about the public buzz. "It's going to hurt some feelings in the clubhouse."
Social media roasted Roberts for starting five rookies in Saturday's day game, which the Dodgers lost on a walk-off home run in the ninth inning.
"Regardless of who we put out there, we feel we should win," Roberts said. "It doesn't matter what guy is throwing, starting, I think they feel confident they should put up zeros and whoever's in the lineup should play defense and put up at-bats. There's only 25 spots on the postseason roster, and there's a little mixing and matching right now. I still believe whoever we run out there each day, we should win the game.
"We knew at this time, the position we put ourselves in, there's a balance between not playing everyone, which could be constituted as taking your foot off the gas, versus, running the same guys out there every single day to kill them, to be relentless and ultimately wear them down. The guys we put out there I believe, we should win."