Los Angeles Dodgers fans losing patience with manager Dave Roberts as team sputters

It's been over a year since the Los Angeles Dodgers gave manager Dave Roberts a three-year contract extension to manage the team he took the helm of in 2016.

At the time, it appeared to be a good decision. The Dodgers have won the National League West six times in seven seasons and also ended their World Series title drought that stretched back to 1988 by winning the 2020 championship.

However, many Los Angeles Dodgers fans felt that the team was winning despite Dave Roberts rather than because of him. The Dodgers are often close to the top of the MLB payroll and tend to sign some of the biggest names in the game.

However, there have been gradually diminishing returns since the 2020 title season. They lost the 2021 NL Championship Series to the Atlanta Braves and were stunned by the San Diego Padres in the 2022 NL Division Series after finishing 22 games ahead of them in the regular season standings.

Now, with the team floundering around the .500 mark through the first couple of weeks of the 2023 season, the hot seat is getting hotter for Dave Roberts.

The Los Angeles Dodgers fell two games behind the upstart Arizona Diamondbacks in the NL West standings after losing 8-6 to the visiting New York Mets on Monday night.

The defeat dropped the team to 8-9 on the year despite spending nearly $111 million more on their payroll than the Diamondbacks this season.

Dave Roberts has lasted longer at the helm of the Los Angeles Dodgers than any manager since Hall of Famer Tommy Lasorda's reign from 1976-1996. Roberts owns the best managerial record (.632) of any Dodger manager since Chuck Dressen posted a .642 winning percentage in three years as skipper from 1951-1953 when the team was still playing in Brooklyn.

But again, many fans feel this is more an effect of the top-tier talent that Roberts has provided during his tenure than what he has done to mold the team into a winner. Most point to the Dodgers winning just one World Series title since he took over, although the seven managers that preceded him didn't manage to win a championship at all.

Is Dave Roberts' time with the Los Angeles Dodgers coming to a close?

Dave Roberts #30 of the Los Angeles Dodgers during batting practice

The Los Angeles Dodgers have accomplished some tremendous regular-season feats during Dave Roberts' time as manager. The team has had four 100-win seasons during his tenure.

However, a 1-2 record in three World Series trips and the perceived decline of the ballclub's prosperity may find him at the door sooner rather than later.