According to MLB's official website reporter Jon Heyman (Jon Heyman) on March 11, the Los Angeles Dodgers and head coach Dave Roberts (Dave Roberts) reached a four-year contract extension, the new contract will last until the 2029 season, with an average annual salary of just over $8 million. That's a new record for a major league head coach's salary by Craig Counsell on a five-year, $40 million ($8 million) contract with the Cubs in 2024. The Dodgers have yet to officially confirm the news, but the two sides are expected to complete the signing before leaving for Japan for the Tokyo Series on Wednesday.

Roberts' original contract expires at the end of the 2025 season (a three-year contract signed in the spring of 2022) and this extension is a priority for the team. Negotiations have accelerated in recent days, with Roberts describing the process as "a yard line" on Friday. Although the new contract has not yet officially taken effect, he couldn't hide his excitement after the Dodgers' 6-2 win over the Sidewinders: "This is where my heart is, and I love what we're building together. "

In his nine years at the helm of the Dodgers, Roberts led the team to 851 wins and 506 losses, with a winning percentage of 0.627, ranking first in MLB history by a coach who has coached more than 1,000 games. He has played the fourth-most games in franchise history (1,357), behind Walter Alston (3,658), Tommy Lasorda (3,040) and Wilbert Robinson (2,735). In 2024, he led the injury-ridden Dodgers to win the championship, breaking the "playoff curse" and earning the second World Series ring of his career.

The players collectively praised their leadership. Left-handed Clayton Kershaw said, "Managing a star-studded team like the Dodgers requires a unique skill, and he always balances relaxation with focus. First baseman Freddie Freeman emphasized, "In last year's playoffs, players like Shohei Ohtani, Miguel Rojas and me, who were fighting with injuries, were willing to give everything they could for him because his commanding skills were masterful." "

Outfielder Teoscar Hernández (who has played for four teams) commented: "Roberts knows a lot about the psychology of players, whether he is a hitter at a low ebbs or a struggling pitcher, he always has the experience of his playing days. "

Despite being criticized as the "King of the Regular Season" for consecutive Nations League Division exits in 2022-2023, Roberts proved his worth in the adversity of the 2024 playoffs when he cleverly orchestrated a bullpen relay to equalize the series against the Padres in Game 4 of the Nations League Division and eventually lead the team to a comeback to advance. "He pushed all the right buttons," Freeman recalled, "and that playoff command was a textbook one. "

With the contract extension finalised, the 52-year-old head coach will continue to write a new chapter in the Dodger dynasty. As he puts it: "There is no substitute for the challenges and glory here, and I look forward to many more in the future." "