Mar 1, 2021; Glendale, Arizona, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts (30) and first baseman Max Muncy (13) get ready for a spring training game against the Colorado Rockies at Camelback Ranch. Mandatory Credit: Rick Scuteri-Imagn Images Rick Scuteri-Imagn Images

Dodgers' Max Muncy Reveals What Makes Dave Roberts So Special

Originally posted on Los Angeles Dodgers on SI
By Patrick Warren | Last updated Oct 1, 2025 12:30 PM ET

In his 10th season as the manager for the Los Angeles Dodgers, Dave Roberts has cemented himself as one of the best and most beloved managers in Major League Baseball.

“I don’t have enough good words to say about Doc," Dodgers third baseman Max Muncy told Bob Nightengale of USA Today. “I really don’t. He’s been a mentor. He’s been a coach. He’s been tough on me. He’s also loved me. That’s something that I’ve never questioned. He’s always had my back.

When the San Diego Padres and Dodgers got into a nasty battle of trading hit-by-pitches in June, Roberts was right there in the middle of an unforgettable midseason brawl. Roberts' involvement, which earned him a one-game suspension, was one of many ways he's shown up for his players over the years.

“I feel like he protects players better than anybody," Muncy said. “He knows what’s going on behind the scenes, but he’s never going to put that out there. He has everyone’s back. And he’s never going to throw anyone under the bus.

“He’s just so good at reading the room. If something doesn’t go right, he’ll accept the blame for it even though that’s not fair to him. That’s just how he operates. It’s been truly amazing to be able to play for him."

Roberts' players-first mindset does not come at the expense of coaching his players hard. A franchise doesn't win two World Series championships in a five-year span by taking it easy.

“But, he’s always been really tough on me, too," Muncy said. "He holds me to a high standard. But it’s one of those things where he understands where I come from. He understands that I can handle that. We’ve had 1,000 great conversations. Not all of them started off in the best of terms, but at the end of the day, we figure out the best plan of attack."

Roberts now has the Dodgers in the postseason for the 10th straight season, and is looking to fulfill the high expectations that the defending World Series champions bear.

With a dominant starting pitching rotation but an ailing bullpen, Roberts will have plenty of big decisions to make if the Dodgers are to repeat last season's magical run.