Dodgers Star Says Dave Roberts Has Harder Job Than Most Managers

Doc has gone through tons of controversy due to his team's star power and payroll.

Oct 31, 2025; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts (30) celebrates on the podium during the post game celebration after defeating the Toronto Blue Jays in the 2025 MLB World Series at Rogers Centre. Mandatory Credit: John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Life is good for the Los Angeles Dodgers.

At 59-31, LA has a 14-game lead in the National League West and the best record in baseball by 3.5 games.

As a result of their success this season, the season before and just about every season since the 2016 campaign, manager Dave Roberts has collected his fair share of scrutiny.

When the Dodgers are doing well, Roberts is usually among the last to receive his due credit. On the flip side, during rough moments for the team, he is often where many fingers are pointed.

After securing his 1,000th win as a manager this past week, superstar Mookie Betts spoke on the misconception that Roberts has an easy job.

“I would definitely say it’s probably the reverse. It makes it harder,” Betts said of having such a talented roster. “It’s probably easy to write in a lineup, for sure. But to manage so many personalities, injuries, guys coming up, guys going down — it’s a lot. Especially losing, we went through our stretches where we weren’t playing well. And then it’s the other way, like, ‘Oh, you got this roster, and you’re still losing X, Y, and Z.’ But he just kind of handled it. Handled it with grace. And still come out on top.

“So, yeah, it’s probably easy to write it right in the lineup. But to manage it for 162-plus is really hard to do.”

Specifically, the "plus" that Betts mentioned is what matters most to Roberts and his legacy.

A decision that was purely on the shoulders of Roberts came this past November during Game 7 of the World Series. With one out in the ninth inning, Roberts left veteran infielder Miguel Rojas in the game despite not having a hit in a calendar month.

If Rojas doesn't deliver in that moment, Roberts would likely still be fielding questions as to why he didn't call for a pinch hitter Luckily for both Dodgers fans and Roberts himself, Rojas changed baseball history with one swing of the bat.

In Roberts' first season, the Dodgers won the division (something they have done all but once under his leadership), but lost in the National League Championship Series to the eventual World Series champion Chicago Cubs. The next two seasons, Roberts and Co. lost in the World Series to the Houston Astros and Boston Red Sox.

The 2019 campaign featured 106 regular season wins which were the most in franchise history at the time, but LA fell to the eventual champion Washington Nationals.

The 2020 World Series was indicative of Roberts' run with the Dodgers to that point as there was plenty of success given it was the franchise's first World Series win since 1988, but as fans remember, there was no shortage of controversy.

Now, Roberts has cemented himself as one of the greatest managers in Dodgers history, and is on a path to being one of the all-time greats in MLB.

Sign up for our free newsletter and follow us on X/Twitter and Facebook for the latest news.