Dodgers manager believes long layoff impacted NLDS but the excuse doesn't hold water

Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts has joined the camp that believes too much time off is bad for professional teams. 

Roberts said recently that the Dodgers' long layoff before the playoffs was "Certainly not ideal."

"I think that anyone that's picked up a baseball bat understands that, you know, baseball is a rhythm sport," Roberts said on Friday's episode of "Foul Ball" on MLB Network Radio. "But, when you're mired in it, you're in it."

In fairness to Roberts, he mentioned that his team received poor starting pitching "out of the gate" and failed to produce offensively throughout their brief postseason appearance. However, the idea that five days between games impacted the series negatively for the Dodgers is seemingly still on Roberts' mind. 

"Ideally, I would love to have one clear answer so you can remedy it," Roberts said about the Dodgers' early playoff exit. 

Since the MLB expanded the postseason to 12 teams in 2022, there's a growing notion that the top two seeds in the American and National Leagues are somehow at a disadvantage for receiving byes into the divisional series. 

While you can probably add Roberts to the list of believers, especially after suffering a sweep following a five-day layoff, the excuse doesn't hold water. 

According to data compiled by Dan Szymborski of FanGraphs, teams in the Dodgers position do better than even averages suggest. 

Teams with five or more days rest, like the Dodgers, are 24-11 in playoff games (including 2023) against teams coming off only two or fewer days between contests. Meanwhile, the rested teams expected win-loss record comes out to 19-16.  

Context is key in this debate. When looking at raw numbers, injuries, pitching matchups and the like aren't considered. However, if a few days off to recover from a long, grueling season is even one reason given as to why a 100-win team failed to meet expectations when it mattered most, it's probably a reach.