Party mood inside the Dodgers after their 6–3 win over the Giants. Not only for their third straight win but also for confirming their spot in the postseason for a 13th consecutive season. While Shohei Ohtani & Co. enjoyed the moment, the Dodgers manager wasted no time laying out what comes next. 

For Dave Roberts, this was not a random playoff berth. The Dodger skipper reminded his team that everything ahead carries historic weight. “We earned an opportunity to get into the postseason and play for a championship,” Roberts remarked. “And there’s nothing more special and rewarding than this. For those who have won championships, the most important thing is to play your best baseball at the right time. Play selfless baseball, play for each other. Every pitch matters,” he added.

This playoff berth has tied the Dodgers with the Yankees for the second-longest streak in MLB history. With that, the team is now just four games away from clinching the NL West. However, Roberts quickly shifted the conversation away from data. “This has to be the most important six weeks of our lives,” the manager gave a clear message to Shohei Ohtani and the other stars. “Because we have what everyone wants. And we have a chance to create a legacy for ourselves and for this organization.” The urgency of Dave Roberts has its simple reasons as the Dodger manager emphasized timing and thought process.

Dave Roberts understands that skills alone will not be sufficient, and what matters is that the team peaks at the right moment, stays focused, and ignores complacency. His challenge to Shohei Ohtani, Clayton Kershaw, and all the other players on the roster was to consider every pitch in a way that the season depends on it.

Simply put, Roberts was asking the team not to focus only on celebrating. The season was not easy, as they were hunted in every game and faced every rival’s fiercest approaches. And now the stakes have only grown. “We’re trained for this,” the Los Angeles Dodgers manager added. “My last challenge, guys, is this has to be the most important six weeks of our lives… So it’s got to be the most important thing. Cheers, guys. Let’s go back-to-back.” The motivation felt was sealed: Yes, they are playoff-bound; however, the Dodgers’ focus should be firmly on defending their crown.

While Dave Roberts now rules with a championship mindset, it is impossible to forget that his own playing career was defined by one unforgettable moment of courage and instinct, which has resurfaced in a recent interview.

Dodgers manager highlights the wink that sparked his legendary stolen base

Long before Dave Roberts became a World Series-winning manager, he etched his name into Red Sox lore with a stolen base that transformed history.

In a current interview with Bob Costas, the skipper said that the Red Sox manager, Terry Francona, gave him nothing more than a wink before the famous steal in the 2004 ALCS. That subtle signal told Roberts exactly what he needed to do.

He recalled that Terry Francona initially had the bunt sign on, but later removed that sign, and it enabled Roberts to take second base against the Yankees. That steal led to the tying run and sparked the Red Sox’s legendary comeback from a 3–0 series deficit. It has been two decades now since Dave Roberts mentioned that the smallest of gestures still stands out as the medium for some iconic moments at MLB.

From giving the stars a championship push in 2025 to recalling the split-second instinct that defined the 2004 ALCS, the Dodgers manager continues to embody the mix of management and legacy. And that inner charisma led to Dave Roberts’ message to Shohei Ohtani and Co.: Focus, be selfless, and understand that timing makes champions.

As October knocks on the West Coast’s door, the question is not just whether the team can win again, but whether they can create another moment as timeless as Roberts’ own. What do you speculate?