Prior to the end of the 2024 season, the biggest blemish on the resume of Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts was a relative lack of success in the playoffs when compared to the regular season.
Roberts had guided the Dodgers to the playoffs in every season he has managed since 2016 and won three National League pennants, but only had one World Series title to show for it.
Some of the outcomes were perhaps out of his control, namely the 2017 World Series, but back-to-back disappointing exits in 2022 and 2023 caused some to question whether the Dodgers should move in another direction at manager.
But after giving his best performance to date, guiding the Dodgers through a tumultuous 2024 season and winning a second World Series, Roberts’ greatness is undeniable.
Players in the Dodgers clubhouse already knew how great of a manager Roberts is, which Max Muncy highlighted includes having tremendous understanding of the group, according to Jack Harris of the L.A. Times:
“He manages this club based on the guys in this room,” added third baseman Max Muncy. “He doesn’t do it off a spreadsheet. He doesn’t do it off what someone tells him. He walks around and he has conversations with everybody.”
Muncy’s remarks connect back to Roberts’ conviction that supporting players when they are struggling is one of his strengths as a manager, even if it has also been a weakness in the past.
But his tendency to sometimes make a change too slowly is something that Roberts has worked on, and it showed during the 2024 postseason.
Roberts’ ability to be personable with each of his players is why they love playing for him, which goes a long way toward building a winning culture and is another reason why the Dodgers are such an attractive destination for free agents.
Dave Roberts contract negotiations
Now entering his 10th season as Dodgers manager, Roberts technically is in the final year of his contract. He recently said discussions on an extension started and the expectation is a new deal will be in place before the Tokyo Series.
Craig Counsell’s five-year, $40 million deal with the Chicago Cubs is currently the richest contract for a manager in baseball. There’s a widely held belief Roberts is going raise the bar for managers with his new contract extension.
Have you subscribed to the Dodger Blue YouTube channel? Be sure to ring the notification bell to watch player interviews, participate in shows and giveaways, and stay up to date on all Dodgers news and rumors!
