Dave Roberts reached a milestone Tuesday night that few managers ever touch. But the moment belonged just as much to a 24-year-old rookie who handed it to him.
Justin Wrobleski threw seven innings against the Athletics, striking out 11 while giving up seven hits and three runs. The Dodgers won 9-3, and that made Roberts the fastest manager in modern MLB history to reach 1,000 career wins. Wrobleski got the W. His 10th of the year.
After the game, Wrobleski didn’t dodge the weight of what just happened. “I want to do that for Doc. He’s done a lot for me in my career. Getting the chance to be the winning pitcher in his 1,000th win is super cool,” he told SportsNet LA.
Roberts is the 69th manager in MLB history to hit 1,000 wins. That’s a crowded club. But here’s what separates him from most of the others: every single one of those wins came with the same franchise. He took over the Dodgers in 2016 with essentially no managerial resume — a single loss as San Diego’s interim manager in 2015 — and has since gone 1000-605 over 1,605 games.
He’s now fourth on the Dodgers’ all-time wins list, behind Walter Alston, Tommy Lasorda, and Wilbert Robinson. That’s some company. And in postseason wins, Roberts ranks third all-time in MLB history, trailing only Joe Torre and Tony La Russa. Not bad for a guy who started with one game of losing experience.
The other active managers with 1,000 wins are Terry Francona (2,072) and A.J. Hinch (1,001). But Francona and Hinch have both managed multiple teams. Roberts has done it all in one place. That kind of consistency is rare, and it says something about how the Dodgers operate.
Wrobleski might not be a household name yet. But the kid who threw seven gutsy innings for his manager’s milestone? He’ll remember this one.
The Dodgers (56-30) have the best record in baseball. They close out their series with the Athletics on Wednesday night. Roberts will probably add a few more wins before October.
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