Does burden of expectations take ‘joy’ out of winning for Dodgers? – Orange County Register

LOS ANGELES — Very soon the Dodgers will be celebrating clinching their 12th consecutive playoff spot and, very likely, their 11th National League West division title in the past 12 years.

But the “World Series or bust” expectations that have followed nearly all of those Dodgers teams takes some of the joy out of the achievements along the way, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts recently admitted.

“Yeah, it does. That’s the honest answer,” Roberts said. “I get it. It’s just kind of what’s expected. I think whatever is expected it certainly takes the elation out of whatever outcome versus if it’s not expected.

“It’s our cross to bear. It’s where we’re at. We still expect to win and try to win. But I do think it does take the joy out. But I still like winning.”

All-Star Mookie Betts was asked for his reaction to Roberts’ honest answer and said he “absolutely” felt the same way.

“You come to the park each and every day and you want to have fun. This is a game. You’re supposed to have fun with it,” Betts said. “If you mess up – people are going to mess up. But it shouldn’t be the end of the world. I think the expectations placed on us make it the end of the world, make it so it’s not as much fun going out there to play because if you’re not flawless you get completely criticized. You’re criticized by people that aren’t out here doing it. That’s the part that definitely makes it a job.

“But that’s what we signed up for.”

The Dodgers’ billion-dollar offseason – signing Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto, acquiring Tyler Glasnow and signing him to a contract extension – only ratcheted up those expectations, Betts acknowledged.

“Yeah, I mean, of course when you spend that kind of money, bring in the guys we brought in there’s going to be more added expectations, definitely from the outside,” Betts said. “We don’t show up here not expecting to win. We expect to win.

“But the rest of it – we’re going to mess up, we’re going to go through our ups and downs. But the expectation is that we’re machines that should hit 1.000 and never give up runs and those types of things. That part kind of sucks. That’s what makes it kind of suck. But again, that’s what we signed up for and it is what it is.”

Betts said he finds more joy in the process than he does in the actual winning of games.

“Absolutely. The end results – that’s what gets criticized. If you just focus on that, that’s what will tear you down,” he said. “But going in the cage, trying to chase the perfect swing or going out and working on defense and trying to chase the perfect way to field a ground ball or whatever – I just kind of get lost in that. I get lost in that and the game’s the game. You show up and whatever happens in the game that’s what happens.

“But I really try to get lost in the process. That’s what brings me joy, for sure.”

GLASNOW PROGRESS

As planned, right-hander Glasnow threw a bullpen session Tuesday afternoon. He was “ripping the fastball,” Roberts said, and used his entire pitch mix. The next step in his return from elbow tendinitis will be to face hitters in a simulated game setting on Friday in Atlanta.

If that step goes well, Roberts said Glasnow could return to the Dodgers’ rotation next week, although his pitch count will be limited.

“To get him in a major-league game is the priority,” Roberts said, aware there is only time left in the regular season for Glasnow to make three starts before the postseason. “If he can handle two, three innings in a sim game, I think that’ll be sufficient.”

CAT MAN

Right-hander Tony Gonsolin pitched two scoreless innings for Triple-A Oklahoma City on Tuesday night, his first game action since undergoing Tommy John surgery last September. Gonsolin allowed two hits and struck out three, throwing 32 pitches.

What Gonsolin’s rehab assignment could lead to this season is “TBD right now,” Dodgers general manager Brandon Gomes said.

“Right now, it’s just taking it outing by outing with Tony,” Gomes said.

“We’re looking at this as building a foundation for 2025. But I don’t want to take it off the table for this year. And that’s what we’ve communicated to Tony – ‘Let’s focus on building for next year. And if things line up and the ball’s coming out, then we have a conversation.’”

The Dodgers are already juggling a number of health issues on their pitching staff and Roberts said he thought it was “unlikely” that Gonsolin could be part of that picture in October.

“This is raising the floor on next year, building somewhat of a foundation. If there’s a crazy scenario where he’s called upon in ’24 and it made sense, great,” Roberts said.