Dodgers manager Dave Roberts held a pregame press conference on June 20, 2026, addressing a range of topics including roster moves, pitching, defense, and offensive philosophy ahead of Los Angeles's game against the Baltimore Orioles.
Roberts said Brock Stewart is on track to be activated from the injured list, targeting the date as soon as possible. "Brock will be activated. My hope is Monday," Roberts stated, adding that the club still wants to speak with him and show him more before the move is finalized. On Shohei Ohtani's return to the rotation following the birth of his child, Roberts noted, "My assumption is it'd be Wednesday," projecting Ohtani's next start for that date.
Roberts acknowledged the team's defense as an underappreciated strength, noting improvements from Teoscar Hernandez, Freddie Freeman, and Andy Pages. He said Hernandez was playing considerably better defensively in the 2026 season than he did even when healthy in 2025, and that Freeman's ankle health had restored his mobility. Of Pages, Roberts praised his consistent work ethic — "even an hour ago, he was out here doing his glove work and working on his throwing and his pivots when he catches the baseball" — and said Pages will be in the Gold Glove conversation. Roberts credited pitching fundamentals coach Bob Garren for his work with pitchers on fielding their position, and noted that Pages has modeled his work habits from the team's veteran players. Roberts also highlighted that Mookie Betts has been playing shortstop exceptionally well, saying Betts "has been playing the heck out of shortstop." Roberts attributed the team's overall defensive gains to individual intent, better positioning through analytics, and improved physical conditioning.
On the pitching side, Roberts expressed confidence in Yoshinobu Yamamoto, noting that Yamamoto pitched well against Baltimore in 2025 and expressing hope for a similar performance. "It seems like every time he goes out there, he can throw a no-hitter. He's as good as anybody I've seen as far as execution," Roberts explained. He also credited third base coach Dino Ebel for a sharp baserunning decision in the previous night's game, noting that Ebel read the left fielder losing his footing and changed a hold signal to a send. Roberts also mentioned that six weeks prior, Betts had been elevating balls in the hitting zone instead of squaring them up, pointing to the adjustment as part of the team's offensive development.
On offense, Roberts emphasized the need for situational awareness over power hitting. "Being able to chip away, score runs when they're presented to you — that's more of it as opposed to just hitting a three-run homer," he said, stressing the importance of elevating the ball with runners in scoring position. When asked about a gift for Ohtani following the birth of his child, Roberts acknowledged he still needs to sort one out, saying he plans to consult his wife on the matter.