LOS ANGELES — For 33 straight innings, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts expertly managed his pitching staff, keeping Los Angeles in contention and gaining an early lead in the National League Championship Series.

However, the New York Mets persevered and managed to snatch Game 2 at Dodger Stadium, evening the series at 1-1 as they prepare for three games at home.

While the Mets definitely deserve credit for their strong start—scoring six runs within the first two innings—the decision-making by Roberts raised some eyebrows as he deviated from the strategy that had previously worked in the NL Divisional Series.

In a must-win Game 4 against the San Diego Padres earlier, Roberts utilized his top pitchers early, bringing in Michael Kopech, Alex Vesia, and Evan Phillips by the sixth inning.

With this game’s bullpen approach, Roberts opened with Ryan Brasier but saw him give up a leadoff homer to Francisco Lindor. The real damage happened with rookie Landon Knack, who experienced his first postseason action in the ninth inning of their earlier blowout victory but gave up five runs in the second inning, including a grand slam by Mark Vientos that ended up being pivotal.

Before the game, Roberts indicated Knack would handle most of the outs, but it was a bold gamble to put him in the game while the Dodgers were already trailing. Knack lasted just two innings.

Why did Roberts change his winning strategy?

“In that scenario, you’ve got to be able to finish the game, especially in the early stages of the series. You need someone who can eat innings,” Roberts explained. “Knack would have had to pitch at some point.”

When asked about using more reliable pitchers like Kopech, Phillips, or Blake Treinen—despite their absence since Friday—Roberts said he didn’t consider starting them early. He also pointed out that Vesia was out due to injury and Daniel Hudson was unavailable for this game.

“That was a major reason we had to think about this carefully—otherwise, we wouldn’t be able to finish the game,” Roberts noted.

Monday served as a clear reminder of the challenges a manager faces when handling a bullpen approach, particularly during the playoffs. When it succeeds, the manager is praised, but when it fails, the criticism is swift.

“Everything works great when players perform, but you’re still up against highly skilled teams, and there’s a delicate balance to maintain,” Roberts remarked. “When injuries occur and options are limited, finding a way to get those key outs becomes vital.”

A positive note for the Dodgers was the outstanding performance from reliever Brent Honeywell, who pitched three scoreless innings after initially impressing mid-season. He struck out two batters, keeping Los Angeles within reach.

Roberts commended Honeywell’s effort, especially considering his career struggles following multiple elbow surgeries. Honeywell was surprised by the length of his outing but focused on maintaining competitive play.

“(Roberts) felt that leaving me in was our best chance to win, and I’ll support that decision every time,” Honeywell shared.

Now that the series is tied at 1-1, the Dodgers are likely to face another bullpen game later in the series. Walker Buehler is set to pitch Game 3, followed by Yoshinobo Yamamoto for Game 4, and either Jack Flaherty or another bullpen strategy for Game 5.

Roberts is still considering how to handle the next bullpen game after the outcomes of Game 2. He stated that it is premature to finalize any strategy and emphasized the need to learn from the previous game errors.

Despite the setback, Roberts is optimistic about the pitching options available to him. Although the key bullpen pitchers didn’t contribute in Game 2, he believes in their capabilities for the upcoming three games in New York.

“Even after a loss, it’s reassuring to know that we have our strong bullpen guys ready for what’s next, and I feel confident about that,” Roberts stated.