Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts addressed the media on July 12, 2026, following a 2-9 loss to the Arizona Diamondbacks at Dodger Stadium on July 11, 2026, calling it a collective failure on both sides of the ball.
Roberts evaluated the performance of Yoshinobu Yamamoto, noting he was not as sharp as usual. Roberts said during the press conference that Yamamoto issued three walks plus one intentional walk, and that James McCann's home run — hit on a two-seamer off the plate — turned what could have been a quality start into a poor outing. "The four walks, the three walks and then the one intentional walk," Roberts said. "The homer from McCann was — I mean, it was a two-seamer off the plate."
Roberts also noted that the Dodgers' hitters did not help their cause against Falter, a pitcher they have faced frequently. "We've seen him plenty," he stated, "and for us to take the at-bats that we took — very unfortunate." He added that giving opponents free bases and extra outs makes winning difficult regardless of who the opponent is, saying, "When you give teams free bases, extra outs, it's hard to win a game regardless of opponent."
A baserunning play compounded the damage in one inning: Roberts described a runner scoring from first base on a ball stuck in the left field corner as "very rare and unique." He acknowledged that the Dodgers have not played clean baseball in roughly three or four of their last five games, and explained that while ups and downs over a 162-game season are normal, "when you're in it, regardless of standing or whatever, it just never feels good."
Roberts pushed back on the suggestion that the team is looking ahead to the break, insisting the games still matter. "I hope that's not the case," he mentioned. "These games all matter" — including the pursuit of the best record in baseball, which he said the Dodgers are still actively chasing. With the break approaching, Roberts said Emmett needs to pitch well and the club must find a way to win the next game, adding, "We've got to find a way to win a game tomorrow to kind of feel somewhat better about going into the break."