Dave Roberts is managing the National League in Tuesday night’s All-Star Game in Philadelphia. And yeah, the Dodgers skipper knows the crowd at Citizens Bank Park isn’t exactly rooting for him or his guys. That’s fine. He leaned into it anyway.
Roberts named Phillies lefty Cristopher Sanchez as the NL starter. It wasn’t a tough call, he said, once he thought about who the fans in the building wanted to see.
“I try to do it from the lens of: This is for the fans,” Roberts said. “What allows for the fans to have the best experience? Their hometown guy starting the game is the way to do it.”
Sanchez has been solid this season — a 2.96 ERA across 18 starts — but the choice was more about the setting than the numbers. Put the local guy on the mound in the first inning and the place goes nuts. That’s the logic. And honestly, it’s hard to argue with it.
What Roberts actually loves about the All-Star Game
In a longer conversation with The Athletic, Roberts got asked what he genuinely enjoys about the midsummer classic. Not the pageantry or the red carpet or the endless media obligations. The guy who manages one of the most scrutinized rosters in baseball said the best part is watching players from opposite dugouts just hang out.
“There is a lot of work that goes into this, as far as interviews. Every fan base wants their moment with their players. But it’s also fun,” Roberts said. “The best thing is all the players that get to spend time with one another. That’s the coolest thing. When you peek back, and guys are joking with each other in the cage, start talking about their approach. That really is a lot of fun.”
It’s a simple take but it tracks. These guys spend six months trying to beat each other’s brains in. One night a year, they get to stand around in the same batting cage and talk shop without the stakes. Roberts notices that stuff.
Building a lineup with too many lefties
Roberts also walked through some of the roster construction choices. The NL has a lot of left-handed hitters, so the lineup needed some balance. He mentioned using Andy Pages or Ozzie Albies against left-handed pitching as examples of how he could break things up. It’s not just vibes. There’s some actual chess to managing an exhibition game when you still want to win.
“Obviously, the starters were voted in,” Roberts said. “But construction-wise, some of it is performance and body of work, and there is some game strategy there.”
Whether the NL pulls it off remains to be seen. First pitch is Tuesday night in Philadelphia. Roberts is betting the home crowd gets what they paid for, at least for the first inning.
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