Since the hiring of Dave Roberts prior to the 2016 season, the Los Angeles Dodgers have seen a dramatic improvement both on the field and in the clubhouse.
In the span of two full seasons, Roberts has led the Dodgers to a 195-129 record and extended their streak of National League West titles to five. More significant has been the club’s progression in the postseason.
Under the guidance of Roberts, the Dodgers have posted a 15-11 record in the playoffs and have participated in back-to-back NL Championship Series. Last season, Los Angeles dethroned the reigning World Series champion Chicago Cubs in five games and advanced to their first Fall Classic since 1988.
Roberts’ current contract is set to expire after the 2018 season, though the Dodgers will likely exercise his club option for the following year.
Dodgers general manager Farhan Zaidi recently acknowledged Roberts’ impact on the organization and is optimistic a longterm extension will eventually be worked out, per Dylan Hernandez of the L.A. Times:
“We’re not going to talk about every nook and cranny of our internal discussions on that issue publicly,” Zaidi said. “But needless to say, Doc’s done a great job. We have a great working relationship with him and we’re hoping to be together for a long time.
“He’s technically under contract for this season, with an option for the next, but we’re certainly hoping things extend beyond that.”
Last year, Roberts admitted that he wasn’t concerned about the length of his current contract, and also shared his desire to remain with the Dodgers for the foreseeable future.
Given the organization’s admiration for Roberts, it wouldn’t be surprising to see a new contract agreement come to fruition as soon as this year. That being said, the two parties may opt to hammer out an extension in the offseason to avoid possibly creating a distraction.
