Cody Snavely
GLENDALE, Ariz. – The day is finally here, the final day of Cactus League play as the Los Angels Dodgers take on the Cleveland Guardians in Glendale, Arizona, before they head off to Tokyo, Japan, tomorrow to prep for the upcoming two-game series against the Chicago Cubs.
However, the Dodgers have been busy the last twenty-four hours, including locking up their manager long-term. Yesterday, Jon Heyman of the New York Post reported that Dave Roberts and the Dodgers agreed to a record-breaking four-year, $32.4 million contract extension.
While the deal is not yet official, it will make Roberts the highest-paid manager in Major League Baseball history at $8.1 million per year, surpassing Chicago Cubs manager Craig Counsell‘s $8 million Average Annual Value (AAV).
The noticeable raise is deserving, as Roberts’s resume speaks for itself. Since becoming the Dodgers manager in November 2015, Roberts has led the Dodgers to four National League Pennants, two World Series Championships, and the National League Manager of the Year award during the 2016 season.
Overall, his 851-507 record as a manager, giving him a .627 winning percentage, is the highest in Major League Baseball history, with a minimum of 1000 games, translating to approximately 102 wins in a 162-game season.
“I can’t talk about it so much, but obviously there’s some closure,’’ Roberts said. “I’m excited. This is the place where I always wanted to be. I just love what we’re doing. This is pretty special.”
Prior to yesterday’s Cactus League game against the Arizona Diamondbacks, Roberts stated that the team had decided the fifth starter for the rotation but stopped himself short of revealing who that player was as he wanted to tell them in person.
However, later that night, on an episode of DodgersTerritory with hosts Clint Pasillas and Alanna Rizzo, Roberts stated he believes that May will be the team’s fifth starter to begin the 2025 regular season.
”I think it’s Dustin because, he’s obviously pitched well, getting back,” Roberts said. “Tony with the little hiccup, just not being able to build up. I think Dustin makes a lot of sense.”
The competition was between May and Tony Gonsolin, but Gonsolin’s back injury revealed that May was the winner. Gonsolin had appeared in two games this spring, allowing no runs and collecting three strikeouts. May had made three appearances this spring, allowing three earned runs across five innings for a 5.40 ERA.
It has been a long road for Dustin May to get to this point after a nearly two-year hiatus after his second career Tommy John surgery and a mid-summer life-saving esophagus surgery last season. The next step for May in his career as he’s on the cusp of free agency is health, and he’ll try his best to stay on the mound for Los Angeles.
Lastly, right-handed starting pitcher and Game One starter for next week’s two-game series, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, pitched his best game of Cactus League play, picking up his lone win with five innings of one-run ball.
In the start against the National League West rival, the Arizona Diamondbacks, Yamamoto showcased his six-pitch mix and held a velocity of around 96-97mph.
The next stop for Yamamoto is Japan as he’ll kick off the 2025 Major League Baseball season in his marquee matchup against fellow Japanese teammate Shota Imanaga.
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