Dodgers manager Dave Roberts confesses intentionally overreacting to Manny Machado's ball throw in NLDS as 'diversion' tactic

The Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts has confessed that he deliberately created a scene during Game 2 of the NLDS against the San Diego Padres. A heated argument followed after the game last Thursday, when the Padres third baseman Manny Machado was accused of throwing the baseball at the Dodgers dugout with the intent to hurt Roberts.

However, many Padres fans pointed out that it wasn't the case since Manny Machado does this move in almost every one of his games. However, the Los Angeles Dodgers didn't let go of these accusations and even contacted the MLB to take some action against the player and impose a penalty.

However, now Roberts has admitted that it was all a diversion tactic in the favor of the Dodgers and agreed that it was an overreaction for a purpose.

"It was. It was. As a manager, you never want to make it about you. But I just felt in that situation, if we could take it off our guys a little bit … Manny and I have a really good relationship. I would take him any day. But I don't think that diversion was a bad thing for our guys. And they responded by having my back," Roberts told The Athletic.

Even though the Dodgers lost the Game 2 by a score of 10-2, they did make a comeback in the last two games of the best of five and won the NLDS eventually.

Dodgers president of baseball operations praises Dave Roberts for his 'surgical' management

In the past, Dave Roberts has been criticized for his moves, since he's usually put on trial for being the MLB manager rather than a Los Angeles Dodgers manager. However, over time, the manager Dave Roberts has successfully built a strong bond with the fans, and finally, he put the nail in the coffin this season.

Roberts had impressed many critics with his management of the Dodgers and he kept his conviction strong from the beginning till the end. Now that it's giving results and the Dodgers are heading to play the National League Championship Series, the fans have developed some trust in him.

Even the Dodgers president of baseball operations, Andrew Friedman, has spoken words of praise for Dave Roberts.

"I thought he was surgical in Game 4 and Game 5," said Friedman. "I thought he had the right feel and pulse for when to make a move, who to go to, and even with that, [Alex Vesia] had the soreness in the oblique and he didn’t miss a beat."

Decisions like Roberts conducting a bullpen game in Game 4 and letting Yoshinobu Yamamoto pitch more innings than usual in Game 5, set him apart as the manager this season.