Dave Roberts Says He Can Still Bunt. Just Not Against This Brewers Pitcher.

The All-Star break is supposed to be time off. But for Dave Roberts, it’s been more like a second job. The Dodgers manager is in Philadelphia running the National League team, doing media, and apparently fielding questions about his old skillset.

During one of those media sessions, somebody asked Roberts if he could still lay down a bunt if he had to. His answer came with a catch.

“Absolutely. Hey, but as long as it’s not Misiorowski, then I can get it down,” Roberts said. “No, but it’s like, the home run derby was great, the little thing, but I can still get a bunt down today.”

For those who don’t keep up with Brewers prospects, Jacob Misiorowski is a 6-foot-7 right-hander whose fastball can touch triple digits. He’s the kind of guy who makes even 10-year MLB vets think twice about stepping in the box. Roberts knows that look. He won a World Series with the Red Sox in 2004. He’s seen some arms.

There’s some irony here. The Dodgers aren’t exactly known for playing small ball. LA swings for the fences, bunts are rare, and Roberts managing a sac bunt would be like watching a Tesla try to parallel park on a dirt road. It could work but you’re not sure why you’d bother.

The Manager’s Still Got It

Roberts made it clear his body can still handle the mechanics. The question is whether the reflexes are still there. He’s 53 now and hasn’t faced a live major league pitch in over a decade. But he sounded confident enough that you half believe him.

This isn’t just nostalgia either. Roberts’ athleticism has had real impact on this Dodgers team. During the 2025 World Series, his impromptu footrace with Hyeseong Kim reportedly fired up the clubhouse at a crucial moment. The Dodgers won that series. Nobody’s calling that race the reason why, but it didn’t hurt.

Maybe he’ll show off the bunt during NL All-Star practice. Maybe he won’t. But the fact that he’s even thinking about it says something about how competitive he is. Roberts doesn’t do anything halfway, even a throwaway media question about a skill he hasn’t used professionally in years.

The Dodgers have six All-Stars in Philly this year. Freddie Freeman, Justin Wrobleski, Andy Pages, and the rest of the crew are representing. But Roberts is the one doing the talking. And apparently, he’s still ready to drop one down if the situation calls for it. Just keep Misiorowski off the mound.