The frustrations are mounting for the Los Angeles Dodgers and its skipper, Dave Roberts. From injuries to a failing offense, the team is currently going through a pit of mediocrity. Certainly, it’s in stark contrast to where they were just a few days ago. However, within this story of a 5-game losing streak, many other sub-plots are trying to find a happy ending. One of those sub-plots is the saga of Yohan Ramirez.

The relief pitcher hasn’t been firing on all cylinders in 2024. Amidst losing control, Ramirez has gone through a troublesome period that has shaken his confidence. In this season alone, he has already played in 3 teams (the New York Mets, the Baltimore Orioles, and now the Dodgers). However, Ramirez hasn’t been able to find that magic touch anywhere. So, with his entire major league career going through an existential crisis, Dave Roberts decided to help the pitcher regain some self-belief. 

The Blue Crew were already behind when Dave Roberts handed the ball to Yohan Ramirez in the eighth inning. However, that proved a disastrous outing for the 29-year-old, who hit two batters and plunked two more. One of the critical issues affecting Ramirez this season has been his inability to control the ball, which was visible again here. As a result, Ramirez looked stressed, leading to Roberts making a mound visit to console him.

Normally, managers motivate pitchers through some words. However, with Roberts, he surprisingly put his arms around the pitcher. The Los Angeles Dodgers skipper then said some words of encouragement to the pitcher, who slowly regained some of his belief. In the end, Ramirez got out of that situation by making the batter hit a pop fly. 

As for what Roberts said to him, the Los Angeles Dodgers skipper explained his mindset regarding this move. Despite his nickname “Doc,” Roberts potentially resolved some of Ramirez’s problems through his encouraging conversation.

Los Angeles Dodgers skipper reveals his mindset behind consolation for Yohan Ramirez

“He’s emotional and cares, and he’s trying to impress with a new ballclub,” Dave Roberts said via the Los Angeles Times. “I just tried to reassure him and give him some confidence, love on him a little bit, and try to take a little bit of pressure off.” Roberts knows a thing or two about self-belief. The Blue Crew chief also noted how sometimes you can recognize what goes inside a player’s mind just by looking at him.

“Sometimes I’m sure – I’ve never thrown a major league inning – but you feel like you’re on an island. So I wanted to show that we were all behind him,” Roberts shared. It was yet another moment for the Dodgers fans to remember why Dave Roberts remains their manager. Even though many fans question his strategies and are relatively underachieving in postseason form, they can’t deny that the players love him. And even more importantly, that he cares about them.