Unexpected departure: Dave Roberts expressed his dissatisfaction following Mookie Betts’ formal announcement of his departure to join the Texas Rangers because, according to several reports this morning.

Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts has been at the helm for one of the best teams in MLB since 2016. After helping the team win the 2020 World Series and consistently remain championship contenders, it appears the Dodgers might be open to making a change this winter.

Since being hired as Dodgers manager in 2016, Roberts has the best winning percentage among qualified managers. He also ranks fifth all-time in winning percentage (.626), ahead of Hall of Famers like Joe McCarthy, John McGraw, Frank Chance and Biz Mackey. The Dodgers are playing just as well this season under their veteran skipper.

• Dave Roberts record (Baseball Reference): 829-494 w(.627) with the Los Angeles Dodgers, 45-39 in the postseason

Entering MLB games today, Los Angeles sits atop the MLB standings and boasts one of the best records in the National League since the trade deadline. Firmly in the MLB playoff picture, the Dodgers are starting to get healthier and shaping up to be a World Series contender. However, Roberts might not be safe.

According to the New York Post’s Jon Heyman, the “pressure seems real” in Los Angeles after the front office aggressively added talent in free agency and at the MLB trade deadline. So, while the Dodgers are performing well, Heyman does have the team’s skipper under “playoff pressure” on the managerial hot seat.

Roberts’ contract does at least give Los Angeles the option to make a change. He is finishing up the second season of a three-year extension with Los Angeles. If the team decided to make a change, the Dodgers would only be on the hook for his 2025 salary.

However, there’s also a significant risk in making a change at skipper. Roberts is well-regarded around baseball and has helped keep the Dodgers clubhouse together through difficult times. He also ranks fourth all-time among Dodgers managers in wins (829) and is the only skipper in team history with a .600-plus winning percentage in over 600 games.

If Los Angeles made a change, Miami Marlins manager Skip Schumaker could come under consideration. The team could also look into promoting bench coach Danny Lehmann or pursue someone in the Tampa Bay Rays organization given Andrew Friedman’s ties to the team.

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Ultimately, Roberts’ fate will be determined in October. If the team fails to reach the National League Championship Series for the third consecutive year, coming out of the NLDS with just one or two wins, Los Angeles will likely make a change this winter.