Dave Roberts is set to enter a 10th season as manager of the Los Angeles Dodgers, and it also happens to be the final year of his current contract.
Over his nine previous years, Roberts has proven himself as one of MLB’s premier managers, and he’s making a case as the best of all-time.
The two-time World Series champion has four National League Pennants to his name, and he has led the Dodgers to the postseason all nine years with eight division titles during that span. Under Roberts’ direction, the Dodgers have only lost the NL West in 2021, when they finished with a then-franchise record 106 wins.
If Roberts was to hit the open market, he would be the most sought-after skipper in recent memory and likely set a record as the highest-paid manager in MLB history.
However, the Dodgers don’t intend to let him reach a free agent status. While they have yet to start contract discussions, general manager Brandon Gomes said they plan to get a long-term deal worked out with Roberts, according to Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic:
There have been no talks of a potential extension for manager Dave Roberts, whose current deal runs through the end of the 2025 season, but Gomes said he expects the two-time World Series winner — who is the all-time AL/NL leader in win percentage — to remain with the club “as long as we can see out.”
As it currently stands, the Dodgers are focused on their roster with free agency already underway and Roberts still signed for one additional season. L.A. had a late start to the offseason thanks to their World Series run, so they still have some catching up to do in regards to the player side of things.
However, it would be very surprising if Roberts does not have a new long-term extension with the Dodgers before the regular season begins, even if those discussions run into Spring Training.
Entering this year, and specifically the postseason, Roberts’ future as Dodgers manager was being closely watched, but after his masterful managing in 2024, much of the criticism has been wiped away with praise.
Still, even with the outside noise, the Dodgers front office knew what they had in Roberts and continued to support him each season, even after some of their disappointing runs of the past years.
Roberts last signed a three-year extension with the Dodgers in March 2022, which carried a reported salary of around $3.25 million. That figure, if accurate, should increase by a sizable amount this time around.
Over his managerial career in L.A., Roberts has a winning percentage of .627 and a postseason winning percentage of .560. Among managers since 1950, no one has a higher winning percentage.
New York Yankees skipper Aaron Boone is the next closest active manager with a .584 win percentage.
Among managers with at least nine seasons at the helm, only Vic Harris won a higher percentage of games (.663), which he accomplished from 1936-1948 in the Negro League.
Roberts is on track to reach 1,000 career wins by the 2026 season as he is just 149 away, a feat that has only been accomplished by 66 men in history.
The modern record for wins by a manager is held by Tony La Russa with 2,884 over a 35-year career. At his current pace, Roberts would win 3,309 over 35 years.
The record for most wins by a manager his held by Connie Mack with 3,371 over a 53-year career from 1894-1950. To tie him, it would take Roberts 39 total seasons, or 30 more, at his current pace.
Roberts is also the sixth-winningest manager in the postseason in MLB history with 56 wins, trailing Bruce Bochy (27 years) by one for the top spot among active skippers.
Of managers with at least 34 postseason wins in their career, all have managed for 22 years or more, except Roberts.
To put some perspective on Roberts’ success, Joe Torre holds the record with 84 postseason wins over 29 years managed. If Roberts keeps winning at his current pace, he would finish a 29-year career with 180.
Dave Roberts hoping to stay with Dodgers
Roberts also hopes to stay with the Dodgers for the long-term and has been open about his desire to manage in L.A. for his career.
Among all-time Dodgers managers, Roberts is fourth in total wins. Ahead of him are Walter Alston (2,040), Tommy Lasorda (1,599) and Wilbert Robinson (1,375).
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