Dave Roberts' value to Dodgers magnified by high-profile firings

Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts is likely to end up in Cooperstown whenever he decides to call it a career.

He is one of only 11 managers to win the World Series at least three times. Nine of the other managers have already been inducted into the Hall of Fame, with Bruce Bochy expected to join that group as well. He entered Tuesday with a 964-585 record as a manager; his .622 winning percentage the best of any manager to manage at least 400 games outside of the Negro Leagues. 

While it is easy to discount Roberts' accomplishments due to the Dodgers' payroll, he is not the only manager to have a star-studded roster and high expectations. Two such managers have already been fired in 2026 as the Red Sox dismissed manager Alex Cora on Saturday and the Phillies fired manager Rob Thomson on Tuesday. The Mets have yet to fire manager Carlos Mendoza, but they have been a tremendous disappointment to begin the season.

Dave Roberts valuable to Los Angeles Dodgers for more than his on-field acumen

Changes needed to be made in Boston and Philadelphia. The Red Sox and Phillies had gotten off to disappointing starts despite their playoff aspirations. While it is fair to wonder about the talent level in Boston, there had been questions as to whether or not Cora and Thomson were getting the most out of their players.

Those questions do not surround Roberts. Despite managing what is essentially a fantasy league team, Roberts has gotten the team to buy in to his message. His ability to manage the different egos and personalities has made as much of a difference as the Dodgers' willingness to spend. 

As the Mets and Phillies are showing, talent alone cannot lead to success. It takes the right manager to guide the players and navigate the locker room. Roberts has been able to do exactly that with the Dodgers.