Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said on August 2, 2026, that the Boston Red Sox outplayed Los Angeles over the series after the Dodgers were swept, and he gave a critical evaluation of Emmet Sheehan's outing. "They outplayed us and it's not an excuse," Roberts said.
Roberts attributed Boston's edge to motivation tied to the playoff race. "They were hungrier. Um, you know, you've got a lot of players over there that are under control," he said. On Sheehan's start, Roberts was blunt about his command, saying, "I just don't think he was sharp today, um, at all," noting too many pitches caught the middle of the plate and led to hard contact.
Roberts addressed the late scratch of Dalton Rushing, explaining that Rushing felt arm irritation during pregame catch. According to Roberts, Rushing had an X-ray that came back clean. He also dismissed the notion that the change behind the plate disrupted Sheehan's rhythm, pointing out that backup catcher Alfonso has caught Sheehan several times before.
Looking ahead, Roberts said the club needs to turn things around quickly. "Quick turnaround, get into Chicago, and we got a team that's, uh, you know, fighting to, you know, keep their spot in the playoff race," he said. He also outlined coming rotation moves, noting Tarik Skubal will soon be worked into the rotation, Blake has one more start, and Tyler is going out on assignment.
Despite the sweep, Roberts pointed to the front office's acquisition of Tarik Skubal as a lift for the club, calling it "a huge add" and adding that seeing him in the dugout is a boost. He said losing never feels good but stopped short of describing frustration, noting the Dodgers had won four consecutive series before this one. Roberts added, "I don't think I felt this good um after getting swept. So, um, that's a silver lining, I guess."
With the series loss behind them, Roberts said the Dodgers' immediate focus turns to the quick turnaround into Chicago, where they will face a team still fighting for its playoff position.