Dodgers manager Dave Roberts remains under contract through the end of the 2025 season. President of baseball operations Andrew Friedman weighed in on the implications the postseason will play in Roberts’ future with the Dodgers.
“To me, I think the evaluation for all of us gets at the consistency,” Friedman told The Athletic’s Fabian Ardaya. “The leadership. Putting guys in the best positions to succeed. … There are so many nuances that happen in a game, that it’s not just results. I think in terms of how we look at things, obviously, results are all that we ultimately care about. But as far as evaluating, there’s a lot more that goes into it.”
“I don’t think we’re an organization that points fingers at any one person,” Friedman continued. “It’s about us collectively coming together to figure out how to get better.”
A current contract extension hasn’t been discussed. Roberts negotiated a three-year contract extension in 2022.
The burden Roberts bears is unlike several other MLB managers. He is not only tasked with overseeing a winning team but also ensuring that the team passes the final test of the World Series.
No other team in baseball has such high expectations each season. On the other hand, most managers don’t have a lineup that includes Shohei Ohtani, Mookie Betts, and Freddie Freeman.
But the season hasn’t been without adversity. The Dodgers clinched the National League West despite losing most of their starting rotation to injury. Roberts utilized 40 different pitchers to stay afloat, a franchise record.
“It’s hard to completely enjoy something that I guess everyone in the world thinks just happens, that it’s expected,” Roberts said. “So when it does happen, it’s more relief. Because you didn’t disappoint. You realized expectations. With the Dodgers, we’re never going to over-exceed expectations because of the reputation we have. That’s a compliment. But I do think that it does take away some of the joy. It’s where we’re at, the job I’ve chosen and the job I love.”
The Dodgers hope to avoid a first-round exit in their upcoming NLDS matchup with the San Diego Padres. This is a very different team from the 111-win Dodgers that were knocked out by the Padres in 2022.
The 2024 Dodgers have overcome an unprecedented number of injuries just to get through the season. It was the worst-case scenario, yet the Dodgers persevered. The question remains whether the current Dodgers will have the same end results as great teams of the past or if can they go all the way.
