Dodgers manager facing 'enormous expectations,' could be fired if playoffs go poorly

Every Los Angeles Dodgers fan knows it: The season doesn't really start in L.A. until the calendar reaches October.

It's a blessing and a curse to be as dominant in the regular season as the Dodgers have been of late. They're on track to win their 11th National League West title in the last 12 seasons, and should once again have a bye in the first round of the postseason.

But with regular season success comes postseason expectations. And the Dodgers haven't answered the bell in October the past few years, washing out in the division series in both 2022 and 2023.

Though they have won a World Series title this decade, in the 60-game COVID season of 2020, the Dodgers expect more from a roster with the second-highest payroll in the sport. According to an insider, there could be serious ramifications if the playoffs go poorly in 2024.

On Monday, ESPN's Buster Olney hinted that manager Dave Roberts could be fired if the Dodgers suffer another early playoff exit this October.

"Dave Roberts (might be) vulnerable, with a year left on his contract. There are enormous expectations for the team despite the mountain of pitching injuries it has dealt with," Olney said.

"The front office and coaching staff will collaborate on a plan to work through the postseason, but Roberts is ultimately responsible for the in-game choices. If the Dodgers lose, will he be held responsible?"

Roberts has been one of the game's most successful managers since taking over the Dodgers job in 2016. His regular season winning percentage of .626 is the highest of all managers in Dodgers history with at least five seasons under their belt, and his team has won at last 100 games a remarkable five times.

But Roberts has also faced criticism for the way he has handled the pitching staff in October in the past, and this season, he'll have a diminished staff to work with, as nearly all of the Dodgers' starting pitchers are nursing injuries or just returning to full health.

Everyone wearing Dodger blue knows the expectations are high for this team every postseason. But for Roberts, the individual pressure could be greater than ever this time around.

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