PHILADELPHIA — As his bullpen once again threatened to descend into chaos, Dave Roberts left it to his players to come up with a way to get out of it. The Los Angeles Dodgers were at risk of squandering a potential commanding lead in the National League Division Series when Roberts summoned Alex Vesia into the cauldron.
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All the momentum they’d taken from the Philadelphia Phillies was 180 feet away, with the potential tying run at second base with no one out. That’s when the manager looked at his players during the pitching change.
“You guys figure it out,” Roberts said.
Mookie Betts made a suggestion. The six-time Gold Glove-winning right fielder, making just his fourth career postseason start at shortstop, did not think. He just spoke.
Betts’ comfort at his new position allowed him to propose something the Dodgers had hardly considered since spring training, much less practiced or executed: the wheel play.
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