ORLANDO, FL — Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts, who drew the ire of the Major League Baseball Players Association last week when he voiced his support for a salary cap and floor, reiterated Monday that it’s merely his opinion and doesn’t consider his view a potential distraction among players.
“Here’s the thing,’ Roberts said, “I’m entitled to an opinion, as we all are. And so I think that’s one man’s opinion. And fortunately – unfortunately – I don’t have a vote.
“I still think the game’s in a great spot and everyone’s winning. It’s the greatest game. And it’s a lot of fun. So for me, I’m focused on 2026, but I was asked a question, and I answered it honestly.’
Roberts, who has led the Dodgers to back-to-back World Series titles, told Amazon Prime last week that he was in favor of a cap as long as there was a salary floor to force small-market teams to also spend.
“You know what? I’m all right with (a salary cap),’ Roberts said. “I think the NBA has done a nice job of revenue sharing with the players and the owners. But if you’re going to kind of suppress spending at the top, I think that you got to raise the floor to make those bottom-feeders spend money too.’
Roberts declined to back down from his comments, saying he simply wanted to provide his honest feelings.
“But, again, my opinion shouldn’t move the needle,’ Roberts said. “So, there’s people that are going to have those conversations. But for me, I love where the game is at. I love the game of baseball. …
“Again, I don’t make these decisions. I coach a baseball team, and that’s it.’
And if people don’t like his opinion, to be honest, Roberts really doesn’t care.
“I kind of stopped worrying about what people thought,’ Roberts said. “I really did, because in our world you can’t win anyway. People are waiting for you to fall. That’s the way it goes. They’re waiting for controversy, right?’
Roberts also scoffed at the notion that his opinion would create any problem with his players, with the players union vehemently opposed to a salary cap.
“Each player knows how much I care about them, their well-being,’’ Roberts said. “So that would never… I’m not concerned with that at all.’
Meanwhile, with Shohei Ohtani declaring that he will play for Team Japan in the World Baseball Classic, Roberts said he would prefer that Ohtani doesn’t pitch in the tournament, limiting himself to hitting. Yet, Roberts hasn’t broached the topic with Ohtani.
“I’m hoping he doesn’t [pitch],’ Roberts said, “but I don’t know. Shohei, he’s very in tune with his body. But I would say probably the thought is he’s probably just going to hit.’
Roberts also has not yet talked to Dodger pitchers Yoshinobu Yamamoto or Rōki Sasaki. They are expected to pitch for Japan in the WBC, but neither have officially declared their intentions.
“Obviously it’s something that they both are excited about potentially,’ Roberts said. “Obviously the country of Japan is excited. We have to have that conversation. But I would like to think that it’s going to be a dialogue as far as restrictions and [pitching] limitations. …
“It’s very delicate. I know I don’t want to be dismissive of what it means to them representing their country. I know the organization doesn’t. But I do think that the conversations need to be had, will be had as far as what each individual is taking on, and whatever role that they might be taking on, and what potential costs there might be.’
The Dodgers, after huge offseason expenditures the past several winters, are expected to be relatively quiet this time around. They aren’t permitted to publicly say they’re not involved in the sweepstakes for high-profile free agents like Kyle Tucker and Cody Bellinger, but are certainly hinting that they won’t dip into the deepest part of the free-agent pool.
“We’re very confident with where the roster is right now on the pitching side, the positional player side,’’ Roberts said. “Obviously there’s opportunities and potential opportunities to upgrade the roster and we’re always kind of looking to do that. But there’s really no big splash we feel needs to be made because this team is still focused, and there’s some talk about a three-peat.
“This is a focused team.’
And a team so powerful and talented that even with a salary cap, Roberts believes, they could still remain perennial World Series contenders.
“Honestly, I think that we have an organization that whatever rules or regulations or constructs are put in front of us,’’ Roberts said, “we’re going to dominate. And so just give us the rules. Let us know the landscape and then I’ll bet on our organization.
“That’s kind of the way I feel.’
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