Following the Los Angeles Dodgers’ 11–4 loss to the Toronto Blue Jays in Game 1 of the 2025 World Series, manager Dave Roberts addressed the team’s missed opportunities and pitching struggles that proved costly in the series opener.

The Dodgers held an early 2–0 lead before Toronto rallied behind key hits from Daulton Varsho, Andrés Jiménez, and Davis Schneider. Roberts acknowledged the inability to execute pitches in critical moments as the difference.

“We just didn’t make pitches when we needed to keep that game close,” Roberts said. “The changeup to Jiménez was a big hit, and then Barger hit a hanging slider. We’ve just got to be better in those spots.”

With a taxed bullpen, Roberts emphasized the importance of Emmet Sheehan and Anthony Banda, both of whom struggled in relief.

“They need to bounce back,” Roberts said. “I wouldn’t say it’s concerning—Anthony’s been very good for us. But with the construct of the pen, we’re going to need them. There’s a lot of baseball left.”

The Dodgers’ offense, meanwhile, failed to capitalize on multiple scoring chances, something Roberts said has been an issue in recent weeks.

“There were some pivotal at-bats that could’ve flipped the game,” he said. “We’ve been great at building innings, but we’ve got to win those key pitches—whether it’s getting a hit, taking a walk, or using the other side of the field. We can be better, and we need to be better.”

Despite speculation that the Dodgers’ one-week layoff between the NLCS and World Series contributed to the flat performance, Roberts dismissed that notion.

“Honestly, I don’t think the layoff had anything to do with tonight,” he said. “We were rested, in a good spot. We just didn’t pitch well after that Varsho homer.”

Roberts also noted the team’s approach against Blue Jays starter Trey Yesavage, saying the plan was to force him into the strike zone and avoid chasing his signature split-finger fastball.

“We tried to stay stubborn in the hitting zone,” Roberts explained. “We got to their pen in the fifth inning, so I thought we did a good job there. We just couldn’t get that one or two at-bats to create a little more distance.”

While the Dodgers now trail 1–0 in the series, Roberts remained confident that his team can regroup and respond.

“It’s one game,” he said. “We’ve been here before. We’ll bounce back and be ready for tomorrow.”