Dave Roberts may not have a shelf full of Manager of the Year trophies, but make no mistake - his impact on the Los Angeles Dodgers runs deeper than any piece of hardware can show. Since taking the reins in 2016, Roberts has been the steady hand guiding one of baseball’s most talented rosters, and while he earned Manager of the Year honors in that first season, he's been a consistent force behind the Dodgers’ success ever since.
Yet in 2025, Roberts didn’t just miss out on the award - he wasn’t even a finalist. Not a single vote.
That might raise some eyebrows, especially considering the Dodgers' perennial status as one of MLB’s elite teams. But here’s the thing: when a manager is handed a roster stacked with All-Stars and MVPs, the assumption from the outside is that the team practically runs itself.
The reality? It’s a lot more complicated than penciling in a lineup card and letting talent take over.
Inside the clubhouse, Roberts’ value is crystal clear. His leadership isn’t loud or flashy - it’s steady, thoughtful, and built on relationships.
He’s the guy who knows when to push a player, when to back off, and how to keep a room full of stars pulling in the same direction. That’s no small feat in a sport where egos, slumps, and the grind of a 162-game season can wear down even the best teams.
Max Muncy recently gave fans a glimpse into what makes Roberts tick. During an appearance on Foul Territory, Muncy spoke candidly about the culture Roberts has helped build in L.A. - one where tough conversations happen behind closed doors, not in front of cameras, and where players feel heard, not micromanaged.
“Doc has always had his finger on the pulse in the clubhouse,” Muncy said. “He knows exactly what’s going on with people.
He knows who he can talk to certain ways. Everyone is different.
Some guys need to get chewed out a little bit, others need to be coddled. Sometimes you have to go outside the norm, but Doc always knows how to approach guys to get the most out of them.”
That kind of emotional intelligence isn’t something you can measure with a stat or a win-loss record. But it’s a big reason why the Dodgers have remained one of the most consistent and cohesive teams in the league during his tenure.
And while awards season may have overlooked him, the Dodgers certainly haven’t. Before the 2025 season began, the organization showed exactly how much they value Roberts by locking him into a record-breaking contract extension. That’s not just a vote of confidence - that’s a franchise doubling down on the guy who’s helped build a winning culture from the inside out.
Freddie Freeman echoed that sentiment, highlighting another key part of Roberts’ success: he genuinely cares. Not just about wins and losses, but about the players themselves.
That trust, that connection - it’s what keeps a team sharp over the long haul. And in a sport where chemistry matters just as much as talent, that’s where Roberts quietly thrives.
So while the Manager of the Year ballots may have come and gone without his name, inside the Dodgers’ clubhouse, there’s no doubt who’s steering the ship. Dave Roberts isn’t just managing games - he’s managing people. And that’s what makes him one of the most respected figures in the game today.