The Los Angeles Dodgers have hired Dave Roberts as their next manager to replace Don Mattingly and the team will officially introduce Roberts in a press conference on December 1. The Dodgers have Zack Greinke as a free agent this offseason and the team could go after David Price if Greinke signs elsewhere.
The Dodgers and Mattingly parted ways after another early exit from the playoffs and now Roberts will take over as manager, the team announced on Monday. According to USA Today and ESPN, Roberts will sign a three-year contract with the Dodgers and the deal includes a fourth year option. Roberts is the first minority manager in Dodgers team history and he comes in after previously playing for Los Angeles during his MLB career.
Roberts also played for the Cleveland Indians, Boston Red Sox, San Diego Padres and San Francisco Giants and he is well-known for his stolen base against the Yankees in the 2004 playoffs. Roberts has served as the bench coach for the Padres the past two seasons and he managed one game for the fired Bud Black this past year. Roberts interviewed for the Seattle Mariners job opening this offseason and he now takes over a Dodgers team that has won three straight division titles.
The Dodgers have some questions heading into the offseason, as Yasiel Puig has been mentioned in trade rumors and Greinke is on the free agent market after opting out of his contract. Puig is likely sticking around for the time being, but Greinke is going to be a major target on the free agent market. The Dodgers have the money to keep Greinke, but will they spend it? CBS Sports reports that the San Francisco Giants are a main target for Greinke and Jon Heyman writes that the team could try and make a splash by signing the starter.
Greinke had a great season in 2015 with a 19-3 record and 1.66 ERA and he is expected to get a big contract this offseason. Greinke opted out of his contract that had $71 million remaining on it and now he could sign another deal in the $150 million range. Heyman writes that the Chicago Cubs and St. Louis Cardinals also could be targets for Greinke, while the Dodgers could look at David Price if Greinke signs elsewhere. Heyman writes that Price is a "very close second option" to Greinke for the Dodgers and he could command a deal around $200 million this offseason.
The Dodgers the bullpen as a target of need this offseason as well and Heyman reports that the team has "checked in on Aroldis Chapman" with the Reds. The Reds are likely going to trade Chapman this offseason and teams like the Yankees, Astros and Blue Jays have reportedly been interested. The Dodgers are also looking at Darren O'Day as a free agent option to add to the bullpen.
Check here for more on the Dodgers, Roberts and Greinke.
"We could not have been more impressed with him through this process. His energy is infectious and he has the rare ability to make a genuine connection with every person he comes across," Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman said in the statement, according to ESPN.
