In advancing to the World Series last season, Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts will hold the same position for the National League team in the 2018 MLB All-Star Game.
This year’s Midsummer Classic takes place at Nationals Park in Washington D.C. on Tuesday, July 17. Roberts is set to become the first Dodgers skipper to manage the NL in an All-Star Game since Tommy Lasorda did so in 1989.
Roberts will also become just the sixth manager in franchise history to lead the NL team in an All-Star Game, joining Leo Durocher, Burt Shotton, Charlie Dressen, Walt Alston and the aforementioned Lasorda.
While the event is still two months away, Roberts has already revealed that Washington Nationals manager Dave Martinez will be included on his coaching staff for the All-Star Game, via Jamal Collier of MLB.com:
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts told @DaveJageler he plans to have Dave Martinez on his coaching staff for the All-Star game. It’s usually tradition for the home team’s manager to be on the staff
— Jamal Collier (@JamalCollier) May 19, 2018
Martinez’s selection will certainly please the hometown fans in attendance. Not only that, but he’ll be able to participate in the festivities before first pitch, which is especially special given it’s the first time in history that Nationals Park will host the All-Star Game.
For Roberts, he may be in a similar position in just two years. Last month, MLB commissioner Rob Manfred formally announced that Dodger Stadium will play host of the 2020 All-Star Game, marking the first time since 1980 that the event will be held there.
