Dodgers’ Dave Roberts Earns Early Season Managerial Award From Insider

May 21, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts (30) walks to the mound for a pitching change in the eighth inning against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images | Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

The Los Angeles Dodgers came into the season with sky-high expectations after being pegged as the favorite to win the World Series come October, but the regular season has been full of hurdle after hurdle.

Manager Dave Roberts was expected to have an easy job: Let the most expensive team in baseball history figure it out on the field.

Instead, due to an ever-growing injured list, Roberts has had a lot of work on his hands trying to manage the team amid the injuries.

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Somehow, despite all of the missing star players, the Dodgers are at the top of the National League and lead their division full of top contenders.

The Dodgers' success has earned the admiration of MLB insider Bob Nightengale, who named Roberts the manager of the season so far.

"Is there any other manager who could have his team sitting atop the NL with 14 pitchers on the injured list, missing three of their starters (Blake Snell, Tyler Glasnow and Roki Sasaki) and three of their opening-day relievers (Evan Phillips, Kirby Yates and Blake Treinen)," Nightengale wrote in USA Today Sports story.

"A year ago, he brilliantly managed an injury-ravaged rotation and exhausted bullpen in the playoffs. Now, he’s being forced to do it all summer with a pitching staff in shambles, surrendering its worst ERA (4.15) at this juncture since 2010."

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The Dodgers have been forced to use the organization's depth in order to find a reprieve from the injuries.

Clayton Kershaw recently came off the injured list, adding a veteran arm back to the rotation, but players like Blake Snell and Tyler Glasnow are still at least a couple weeks away from coming back.

I know it sounds crazy but this guy who won the NL MVP last year as a DH (and is the favorite to do it again this year as of right now) is going to pitch soon.pic.twitter.com/NrzCr2uyJS

— Codify (@CodifyBaseball) May 25, 2025

Shohei Ohtani is also set to start pitching, though it will likely come near the All-Star break.

In the meantime, the Dodgers' arms are left shouldering a heavy load while the team's key players get healthy.

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For more Dodgers news, visit Dodgers on SI.