The Dodgers are back, baby! For the first time since 2021, the Los Angeles Dodgers are headed to the National League Championship Series, and manager Dave Roberts could not be more fired up. After their clutch 2-0 win over the Padres, Roberts was in full hype mode, bursting into the clubhouse with a roaring “Let’s f***ing go!” soaked in champagne and pride. And with a locker room full of pumped-up players, Roberts told them what every fan wanted to hear: “I’ve never believed in a group of men more than I’ve believed in you guys.” His words lit a spark not just for the team but for Dodgers fans who’ve been waiting for this redemption arc.
This win is about more than just stats; it’s a statement. After taking heat over early playoff exits the last few seasons, the Dodgers finally silenced the doubters. Roberts didn’t hold back, saying, to win postseason games, you can’t be afraid to fail, you just have to rise. And rise they did, thanks to big performances from Kike Hernandez and ace Yoshinobu Yamamoto. Hernandez’s second-inning homer brought the crowd to its feet and secured their fate, while Yamamoto delivered five scoreless innings to keep the Padres at bay.
After the game, Roberts told A-Rod, Ortiz, and Jeter in a postgame interview that his plan was simple: “finish my cigar” and soak in the celebration. And he wasn’t alone in the excitement. Kike Hernandez was on fire, shouting on live TV that the difference this season is “the fact that we don’t give a f***.” His solo homer against Yu Darvish was the nail in the Padres’ coffin, with teammate Teoscar Hernandez adding another bomb to ensure victory.
Kike credits visualization for his game-day focus, saying that in the high-stakes world of postseason ball, it’s all about picturing the best version of yourself, even when the nerves hit. But Kike had a message for the team before the big game, too. “Forget them all,” he wrote, telling the Dodgers to brush off every doubter and every critic who questioned their postseason grit. It worked.
Next up, the Dodgers face off against the New York Mets in Game 1 of the NLCS at Dodger Stadium.
