With the Los Angeles Dodgers winning a second consecutive National League pennant last year, it cemented manager Dave Roberts as a skipper for the 2019 MLB All-Star Game at Progressive Field. All-Star Game voting remains underway, but the Dodgers figure to have a strong presence in Cleveland.
Hyun-Jin Ryu has put together a tremendous first half that should lead to him being named the starter for the NL All-Stars. Clayton Kershaw could find himself on the pitching staff as well, while the likes of Cody Bellinger, Max Muncy, Joc Pederson and Justin Turner are candidates to be voted in.
The annual Midsummer Classic is also an opportunity for coaches to enjoy the experience, and for Roberts the staff assembled is at his direction. He hoped it would include San Francisco Giants manager Bruce Bochy, but he has plans to spend time with family, which Roberts was understanding of, per John Shea of the San Francisco Chronicle:
“I wanted him to be a part of it,” Roberts said. “I asked Boch because of our history and what he has meant to me, how he helped me as a player and the respect I have for him.
“He’s one of my really good friends, and to be on the same staff as him would be a dream for me, but I completely understand he wants to spend time with his family.”
Roberts’ NL coaching staff will include Braves manager Brian Snitker:
Roberts doesn’t know Snitker particularly well but wanted to honor him for “being a lifelong Brave and doing what he did for the organization. I thought it was a very good choice for him to be on our staff … and to be able to partake in the festivities.”
Bochy is in his 25th and final season as a manager. He broke in with the San Diego Padres in 1995 and has been with the Giants since the 2007 season. San Francisco has won three World Series during Bochy’s tenure.
He was recognized prior to Friday’s game against the Dodgers for having reached 1,000 career wins as Giants manager.
Snitker is on the opposite end of the spectrum in just his third full season as manager. He was named interim manager in May 2016 and given the full-time role that October. Snitker helped guide the Braves to the postseason last year, where they were eliminated by the Dodgers in the NL Division Series.
Snitker was named 2018 NL Manager of the Year, an award Roberts won in 2016 and finished second for the following year.
