PHOENIX — The most successful manager of the last decade does not have a contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers beyond this season. But Dave Roberts said Friday he was “very hopeful” that a new deal would get done by the end of spring training, keeping the two-time World Series winner and all-time National and American League win percentage leader (.627) with the franchise for the foreseeable future.
“Obviously, I love being here,” Roberts said. “I haven’t shied away from that. I’m confident it’s going to get done. Right now, being here, I’m just really focused on these guys and pouring into them and just trying to get better and do something really special for this ’25 club.”
The first official day of position players reporting to camp was much like the last week. Just about everyone has already been at Camelback Ranch for weeks, with the only difference Friday being the picnic tables set up inside the facility as players underwent physicals.
Roberts remained his relentlessly optimistic self. He sat and watched bullpens before introducing himself to Sam Carlson, a non-roster invite into camp who has yet to throw a pitch above Double A. Roberts sat and observed as likely Opening Day starter Yoshinobu Yamamoto faced hitters for the first time. As the workout wrapped up, Roberts cheerfully waved from across the field to catcher Will Smith’s daughter, Charlotte, who waved back. Tasked with managing a super team, the manager has long sought joy amidst the chaos.
Dave Roberts said he’s “optimistic” he and the Dodgers will be able to get an extension done before the end of spring.
— Fabian Ardaya (@FabianArdaya) February 14, 2025
This time four months ago, Roberts appeared to be nearing a potential end. The Dodgers were on the brink of elimination, down 2-1 in the National League Division Series to the San Diego Padres and at risk of a third consecutive first-round exit, this time coming off the most expensive offseason in baseball history. That spelled potential doom, even for a manager off to the best start of essentially any manager the game has ever seen.
Instead, the Dodgers rallied, winning the series and bringing home a World Series title by month’s end.
Roberts’ legacy is solidified, now feted by a city where he has often been reviled. The Dodgers have reloaded by committing nearly half a billion dollars in new money this winter, seeking to become baseball’s first repeat champions in 25 years. But with Roberts’ extension, the pen has not been put to paper.
“We’ve had conversations,” said president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman, repeating the party line regarding Roberts’ contract. “We’ll continue to, and when we have something to announce, we’ll definitely do that.”
The wide expectation is that Roberts’ new deal will exceed the record five years and $40 million that Craig Counsell received to leave the Milwaukee Brewers for the Chicago Cubs after the 2023 season. Considering the track records — Counsell has not won a postseason series since 2018, a span in which Roberts collected three of his four pennants and both titles, with more regular-season success — that should probably be the floor.
At least one other maligned big-market manager with a strong record of regular-season success is also seeking an extension this spring: New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone.
Dodgers will open with a five-man rotation
There might be some suspense in Dodgers camp, after all. The Dodgers had long stated their desire to run a six-man rotation, partly to help maintain workloads among their starters and consistency for Japanese-born pitchers Shohei Ohtani, Yamamoto and Roki Sasaki.
That remains the plan — but not to start the season, Friedman said on Friday. The Dodgers’ trove of starting pitching options will be whittled down to a five-man rotation at least until Ohtani returns from his second major elbow ligament reconstruction and essentially gives the Dodgers another pitching slot with his two-way status.
The Dodgers will have expanded rosters when they open the season on March 18-19 against the Chicago Cubs in Tokyo, and they will have seven off days from the start of their domestic play through May 2, affording Sasaki and Yamamoto the ability to pitch on extra rest without having to run a seven-man bullpen before the two-way star gets back. Ohtani is expected to make his return to the mound in May, though it could be sooner.
Much of that five-man rotation is set. Yamamoto and Sasaki will pitch the first two games in Tokyo and be in the rotation from the jump. Assuming health, the Dodgers’ other two nine-figure commitments, Blake Snell and Tyler Glasnow, will be among the five.
That leaves what could be a compelling race among two of the more intriguing stories of spring. Dustin May and Tony Gonsolin are each coming off major elbow procedures with concerns surrounding them individually, but Roberts said the two are among the prime contenders to vie for the fifth spot. May is out of minor-league options, and Gonsolin won’t be able to be sent down to the minors without his consent after he garners 15 more days of major-league service time. Roberts did leave open the possibility of either making the team in a swingman role to start the season, particularly with Evan Phillips and Michael Kopech each expected to open the season on the injured list.
“There are opportunities to make the roster,” Roberts said. “So I just don’t know. I don’t think anyone really knows how it looks. But those two guys are gonna get a lot of opportunities to go out there and perform.”
The collection behind May and Gonsolin includes Bobby Miller, who just 16 months ago was starting Game 2 of the postseason for them and who endured a miserable 2024 beset by shoulder trouble. Landon Knack is a strong candidate to be part of the club’s roster in Tokyo and has been a solid length option. Same goes for Ben Casparius, who went from spring afterthought to starting a potential World Series clincher last October. Justin Wrobleski still carries a prospect pedigree, and Nick Frasso is a shoulder surgery removed from being part of the big-league picture.
Aaron Boone on if he took it personal that the Dodgers talked trash this offseason:
“Probably a little bit. I don’t like hearing that, but the reality is we didn’t play our best in the series and they won. They have that right to say whatever. Hopefully we’re in that position…
— Chris Kirschner (@ChrisKirschner) February 11, 2025
Odds and ends
- Will Smith isn’t expected to be in the Dodgers’ early Cactus League action due to an ankle issue that has nagged at him dating to last season. Smith said the issue only impacts him running and he hasn’t started a progression there just yet. But a sign of how minimal the issue is expected to be: Smith still caught Sasaki’s bullpen on Friday and took live batting practice off of Yamamoto and Knack.
- For as much as the Dodgers have publicly pushed past talk of last year’s World Series since spring training began, their comments immediately after the win appeared to get the attention of their opponents. Former Dodgers reliever Joe Kelly’s criticism of the Yankees’ defense took the form of quite a few podcast appearances and drew a response from Yankees general manager Brian Cashman during November’s GM Meetings, and Chris Taylor’s description that the Yankees “s– down their leg” while on Mookie Betts’ podcast added to the commentary, leading Boone to say that if the Yankees win in the future, he hopes they’ll do so “with a little more class.”
“Aaron is always going to defend his players, which he should,” Roberts said. “I can’t speak for the players. I do think that once you’re on a podcast right after the World Series, there’s a lot of emotions. I do think that in past World Series, if guys had to get on podcasts, there was a lot more candor, honesty. Aaron’s going to protect his players and that’s sort of about it. I don’t think that we’re talking about it over here.”
(Photo of Dave Roberts: Chris Coduto / Getty Images)
