Managing an MLB team is hard enough as is, but the level of difficulty of the job will be tested even further this season due to the coronavirus. Dave Roberts is well aware of that.
The Los Angeles Dodgers manager joined ESPN’s broadcast of the Yankees-Mets exhibition game on Saturday for a brief guest interview. He shared his biggest concern as a manager this year.
“I think the biggest concern is someone could test positive for whatever reason, and it could be a starter, and then it perpetuates other things as far as dominoes and how you’re going to manage that game and then the next day,” Roberts said. “I think we all prepare for injuries, but I think this is a situation you really can’t guard against. I think our depth with the Dodgers is going to help, but you just never know. I think that is the thing that scares you; you just never know.”
Players testing positive for the coronavirus will have to miss time before they are cleared to return to play. That will undoubtedly cause lots of problems for anyone trying to put together their best lineup each day, as Roberts pointed out.
The Dodgers are loaded with players, which is part of the reason they’re a big favorite in the shortened season. When teams will inevitably have to replace players, the Dodgers shouldn’t experience as much of a dropoff as others due to their surplus of quality players.
