Dave Roberts backs aggressive decision to send Chris Taylor, Padres thank him

Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts still thinks it was a good idea to send Chris Taylor to third base in the top of the tenth. The Padres agree.

With a man on second in the top of the tenth inning in San Diego, Taylor tried to swipe third base on a fly ball to left field. While that’s typically a no-no given the throw from left to third base isn’t too much of a challenge, Taylor was willing to test Jurickson Profar’s arm given he was backing up at the time he made the catch.

Unfortunately for Taylor, and for Roberts, the Dodgers were a step slow, and misjudged Profar’s arm at the same time.

Despite the end result — a Padres win shortly thereafter — Roberts defended his player’s judgement on the basepaths.

“It was a good baseball play. He felt that it was deep enough and then when you get a guy going back and catching it on his back leg, he’s got to make a perfect throw. You got to give Profar credit, he made a perfect throw,” Roberts said.

Dodgers: Dave Roberts defends Chris Taylor despite Padres win

One action doesn’t directly lead to another, and despite the great throw from Profar and tag from Manny Machado, there was still more baseball to be played.

C.J. Abrams would score a half inning later on a sacrifice fly from Austin Nola.

It’s early in the season, but Padres-Dodgers is already shaping up to be on the most entertaining matchups in the National League yet again.