Dave Roberts became the highest-paid manager in Major League Baseball history on Monday, which comes as no surprise, but the Los Angeles Dodgers’ new skipper’s contract has too many demands and expectations.
Roberts, who has won two World Series with the Angels, in 2020 and 2024, will earn more than $8 million per season in an extension that runs from 2026 to 2029.
After putting together one of the most powerful lineups in all of MLB during the offseason, the Dodgers are the heavy favorites to repeat the title they won last year.
During spring training and the offseason, the Dodgers make their fans dream, but in the meantime, Dave Roberts is obliged to live up to expectations, even if it means playing Shohei Ohtani as a designated hitter in as many games as possible.
Roberts led the Dodgers to a resounding victory over the New York Yankees in last year’s Fall Classic in just five games, but despite this, there is no guarantee that Los Angeles will repeat their great run throughout the past playoffs. It is true that they have a deep enough roster to do so, but the baseball gods can sometimes be a little capricious and fickle.
The story that could have changed the history of the Dodgers
The Dodgers were one game away from being eliminated in the National League Division Series against San Diego when they were 1-2 down in the series, and a loss against the Padres would have changed the story completely.
The team spent $70 million more than the Padres last season, and big spending brings big responsibilities, something that will be no different for the Blue Boys this season, and Roberts not only understands it, but accepts the challenge.
“Certainly, with what we’ve done so far, we’ve improved,” Roberts said. “I certainly like the direction we’re going.”
All that pressure will begin on March 18 with the 2025 season opener in Tokyo, when the Dodgers face the Chicago Cubs, and between the early start to the season and last year’s World Series, no team has had a shorter offseason than the Dodgers.
The franchise’s management is convinced that Roberts is the ideal man to lead them to back-to-back championships, which would be the first in the team’s history, and with a contract extension in hand, it’s time to find out if all the investment will pay off for the Dodgers.
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