The long-anticipated deal is reportedly near, and once signed is expected to surpass $8 million per year

The long-expected contract extension for Dodgers manager Dave Roberts is getting closer to completion. Per reports from Joel Sherman at the New York Post and Fabian Ardaya at The Athletic, Roberts and the team are making progress on what would be a record-setting contract that could be done in the coming days.

Sherman reported a Roberts extension “is expected to top the managerial annual value record and be finalized before the team leaves Wednesday to open the season in Tokyo.”

Ardaya also reported the contract is expected to be record-setting and that “the two-time World Series-winning manager is largely expected to agree on a new deal before the team boards its flight Wednesday.”

The Dodgers’ final game on the Cactus League schedule is Tuesday afternoon at Camelback Ranch, and the team will depart for Japan the next morning for a series of games at the Tokyo Dome, including exhibition games against the Hanshin Tigers and Yomiuri Giants before playing the Cubs for two regular season games on March 18-19.

Roberts is entering the final season of his three-year contract that will pay him a reported $4 million in 2025. His new contract, if sets a record, will more than double that. Craig Counsell prior to the 2024 season signed a five-year, $40 million contract with the Cubs as a free agent, an average of $8 million per year.

In July, Red Sox manager Alex Cora signed an extension worth three years, $21.75 million, an annual average of $7.25 million.

Roberts and the front office have maintained pretty much all offseason and into spring training that a contract extension was the preferred outcome for Roberts, who has won four pennants and two titles in his nine seasons at the helm in Los Angeles.

“Hopefully everything takes care of itself. But it’s about value,” Roberts told Buster Olney at ESPN in early February. “I just love this organization, but yeah, you want to feel your value, absolutely.”

That value will apparently be of the record-setting variety.