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Roberts’s bullpen management has been a topic of conversation every October for a while now, and I can’t help but think he’s had the big mistake taken out of his bag by circumstance. Roberts could never resist getting an ace starter into a big spot out of the bullpen, usually Clayton Kershaw, sometimes Max Scherzer or Julio Urias. It usually backfired, it not on the day of the game, then perhaps later when the heroic starter had to take his next turn.
Roberts no longer has that pitcher on his roster. He can’t pull an ace out of the pen because the only ace he has, Yamamoto, is challenged enough by starting on five days’ rest. Roberts has to stick with his relievers, and his relievers are very good. Roberts is a better manager for having an option taken away from him.
