Dodgers News: Dave Roberts is Under More Pressure Than Andrew Friedman, Says National Reporter

When it comes to the hot seat this season, president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman is sitting atop a throne made of ice.

It honestly doesn’t matter what the Los Angeles Dodgers do this season. Because superstar Shohei Ohtani’s contract has an opt-out clause if either Friedman or controlling owner Mark Walter leaves the team, Friedman isn’t going anywhere.

That said, ESPN’s national baseball reporter Buster Olney believes manager Dave Roberts should be watching the flames beneath his chair. If the season is deemed a failure, Roberts could be the one out of a job — it surely won’t be Friedman.

“There is enormous pressure on Brian Cashman right now, their (Yankees) general manager,” Olney told Doug McKain. “There’s enormous pressure on (Yankees manager) Aaron Boone. Is there enormous pressure on Andrew Friedman at this moment? No. They don’t win the World Series, I don’t think he has pressure.

“However, I do think there’s a lot of pressure on Dave Roberts,” Olney continued. “I do think, probably because as a manager who’s not making as much money as Andrew, it’s a lot easier to change the manager than any other spot. So I think that pressure point is on that manager spot for the Dodgers this year.”

The Dodgers enter the second half with a comfortable seven-game lead in the National League West. However, they currently have six starting pitchers on the injured list along with All-Star shortstop Mookie Betts and third baseman Max Muncy.

Los Angeles should be getting Clayton Kershaw and Tyler Glasnow back shortly after the break along with outfielder Jason Heyward. Betts, Muncy, and Yoshinobu Yamamoto likely will be back in August. That’ i’s why it isn’t time to hit the panic button yet.

Photo Credit: Lon Horwedel-USA TODAY Sports

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