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The Los Angeles Dodgers and manager Dave Roberts are reportedly nearing a record-breaking contract extension, according to Joel Sherman of the New York Post.
The deal is expected to make Robert the highest paid manager in Major League Baseball and be finalized before the team leaves Wednesday to open the season in Tokyo, sources told Sherman.
Per Sherman, Dodgers general manager Brandon Gomes described “conversations that are very good” and Roberts said he anticipates a positive resolution soon.
The Dodgers have been engaged in extension talks with Roberts throughout the winter but wanted to lock in free agent players first. He is the final name on the list of re-signing or extending, which includes Michael Conforto, Tommy Edman, Enrique Hernandez, Teoscar Hernandez, Clayton Kershaw, Hyeseong Kim, Roki Sasaki, Tanner Scott, Blake Snell, Blake Treinen, and Kirby Yates.
“We’ve had conversations,” said president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman in Feburary. “We’ll continue to, and when we have something to announce, we’ll definitely do that.”
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Baseball insiders such as Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic, project Roberts’ extension to surpass Chicago Cubs manager Craig Counsell’s record five years and $40 million.
Roberts is in the final year of his contract but has remained confident that the two sides would come to an agreement before the season starts.
“Obviously, I love being here,” Roberts said. “I haven’t shied away from that. I’m confident it’s going to get done. Right now, being here, I’m just really focused on these guys and pouring into them and just trying to get better and do something really special for this ’25 club.”
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Roberts’ legacy is now secure after winning his second World Series in four years. The Dodgers have revamped their roster, investing nearly half a billion dollars this winter in hopes of becoming baseball’s first repeat champions in 25 years.
However, Roberts’ contract extension is the final piece to the 2025 puzzle.
Photo Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images
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