Dodgers nearing new multi-year contract with manager Dave Roberts
Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts will be back in 2019. Now the question is how much longer beyond 2019.
Roberts, who wore a good amount of blame from Dodgers fans after the team’s World Series loss to the Boston Red Sox, is close to a new multi-year contract with the team, according to multiple sources. The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal was first to report the sides were close to a deal. MLB.com’s Ken Gurnick and others have reported it as well.
Yahoo Sports’ Tim Brown has some details on what to expect in terms of length and pay:
Dodgers and Dave Roberts getting closer on a deal, as many have reported. Something in the neighborhood of A.J. Hinch's contract with Astros — believed to be for about $12 million over four years — would seem reasonable. Should know more by later today/Wednesday.
— Tim Brown (@TBrownYahoo) November 6, 2018
In the meantime, the Dodgers have officially picked up Roberts’ option for next season.
#Dodgers have picked up Dave Roberts club option for 2019 season but will continue to negotiate and expect to reach agreement on multi-year deal at some point.
— Bill Plunkett (@billplunkettocr) November 8, 2018
This isn’t much of a surprise. Despite the Dodgers’ World Series disappointment, Roberts was quickly given a vote of confidence by his bosses. In an end-of-season press conference last week, both Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman and GM Farhan Zaidi talked about how they’d been working toward an extension with Roberts earlier in the year but tabled it to focus on the season.
“I think we all felt good about the working relationship and the prospects looking forward,” Friedman said last week. “And it wasn’t an issue at all to table it and pick it up when we were done playing.”
Roberts has managed the Dodgers three seasons, winning the NL West each year and winning the NL pennant the last two years. He has a record of 287-200 as Dodgers manager.
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Mike Oz is a writer at Yahoo Sports. Contact him at mikeozstew@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter! Follow @MikeOz
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