On Sunday, the Los Angeles Dodgers lost their second consecutive World Series, dropping the 2018 edition in five games to the Boston Red Sox. The Dodgers will now turn their focus to 2019 with the hope they'll be able to claim their first championship since 1988. But before the Dodgers can think too far ahead, they'll need to address their manager's contract situation.
Dave Roberts, who received a fair amount of criticism during the World Series, finds himself in a peculiar state. Technically, the guaranteed portion of his contract is over. The Dodgers hold a club option on his services for next season, but they've yet to exercise it, per Jon Heyman of Fancred Sports:
Dave Roberts hasn’t heard on $1.1M team option yet. From here, he’s one of MLB’s best. There was brief discussion about an extension earlier, and he deserves it. 1 iffy game shouldn’t determine fate, not when he has been to 2 straight WS and lost to team that won 16 more games.
— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) October 29, 2018
There's reason to believe Roberts will return as Dodgers skipper -- and that he might be around for the long haul. Here's what Bill Shaikin of the Los Angeles Times reported following the Game 5 loss:
Friedman also said the Dodgers intend to complete a long-term contract extension for manager Dave Roberts.
Plans can change, but that's an encouraging sign for Roberts.
Recent results aside, Roberts has amassed an impressive record in three seasons at the helm. The Dodgers have won 58.9 percent of his regular-season games and have reached the National League Championship Series all three years, winning it twice. Yes, Roberts's success is owed in part to the talent he's had at his disposal, but he seems like a capable-to-good skipper. At minimum, there's no real reason to believe he's holding back the Dodgers.
Given that Roberts won't turn 47 until next May, it's possible that he manages the Dodgers for a long time to come. If not, he shouldn't have trouble finding a job in someone else's dugout.
