'It's mind-blowing': Roberts becomes fastest MLB manager to 1,000 career wins

WEST SACRAMENTO -- Dave Roberts managed his first Major League game on June 15, 2015. The Padres' bench coach at the time, Roberts served as interim manager for one game, a 9-1 loss to the A's, before returning to his regular role for the rest of the year.

The following season, Roberts was hired to manage the Dodgers. He won his first contest at the helm on Opening Day 2016 -- a 15-0 victory in San Diego -- the first of what is now 1,000 managerial wins in the regular season after Tuesday night's 9-3 victory over the A's.

“I mean, 1,000 didn’t even seem on my radar," Roberts said. "That's a long time of consistent winning, let alone keeping a job for 11 years. That's just kind of the life I chose. But yeah, to kind of put your head down and look back and go, ‘Oh my god, I'm here,’ it's mind-blowing."

Roberts reached the milestone in his 1,606th game, passing Cap Anson (1,641 decisions) to become the fastest manager to 1,000 wins.

In his time as a manager, Roberts' feel for the role has grown with every season. He didn't have to dig deep into that acquired knowledge for win No. 1,000, though, as seven strong innings from Justin Wrobleski and another big night for the offense keyed by homers from Tommy Edman and Miguel Rojas got the job done.

"Getting to be the winning pitcher in his 1,000th win is super cool and something I kind of had in my mind entering today," said Wrobleski, who became the third 10-game winner in the Majors this year. "Can’t thank him enough for what he’s done for my career and my development. I really wanted to get this done for him."

Afterward, Roberts walked off to the field to a chorus of adoration from the sea of Dodgers fans that filled Sutter Health Park. Later, in the clubhouse, Rojas and Freddie Freeman led a champagne toast in Roberts' honor, one of the traditions that has defined this era of Dodgers baseball. Roberts encourages his players to celebrate their individual milestones, but this time, it was his turn.

"Today is not about us. It's about Doc and this big milestone for him," Rojas said. "He's always the one raising a glass of champagne, or whatever, when guys accomplish something big in this game. … Like he said, coaches are really good because of really good players, and for him to say that, it means a lot to us in this clubhouse."

Roberts is the 69th manager in MLB history to win 1,000 games and the third active manager, joining the Reds' Terry Francona (2,072 wins) and the Tigers' A.J. Hinch (1,001 wins), who is fresh off reaching the milestone on Monday.

Only three Dodgers skippers have won more regular-season games than Roberts: Walter Alston (2,040 wins), Tommy Lasorda (1,599 wins) and Wilbert Robinson (1,375 wins). Roberts has more postseason wins than any of them: 69, the third most in MLB history behind Joe Torre (84) and Tony La Russa (71).

Roberts is surrounded by Hall of Famers on managerial leaderboards, and he's put himself on a trajectory to join his peers in Cooperstown one day. His credentials speak for themselves: 10 postseason berths, nine division titles, five National League pennants and three World Series championships.

A's manager Mark Kotsay, who was the Padres' hitting coach when Roberts managed his first game, recognized early on that Roberts had the potential to do something special as a manager.

“When we coached together in '15 and built our bond, really, there was no doubt in my mind that he would be the right fit for that organization," Kotsay said. "Not only has he provided that leadership, but the charisma. He’s a really special person, and I think that’s what it takes to lead that club.”

There can be a misconception that Roberts' job is easy because of all the talent he's had at his disposal during his tenure at the helm of the Dodgers, particularly in recent years. Having a star-laden roster can make life easier on the field, but it comes with challenges off the field. Those who know Roberts well are most impressed by how he manages egos and personalities, creating a sustainable winning culture.

"It's probably easy to write it right in the lineup," Mookie Betts said, "but to manage it for 162-plus is really hard to do.”

That ability is at the center of Roberts' philosophy as a manager. Roberts recalled a recent conversation with Jim Harbaugh where the Chargers' head coach said, "I want to be every player’s best coach." That's what Roberts has strived to do in his 11 seasons in L.A.

Roberts' Dodgers tend to approach regular seasons with an eye on the big picture: winning a championship. But enjoying the here and now can be just as important to achieve that ultimate goal. That's just one of the many lessons that Roberts has taken to heart over the course of his 1,000 -- and counting -- wins.

“You play this game for so long, you coach it, you think you know a lot, but I've learned a lot more coaching than I ever thought I did before taking this job of manager," Roberts said. "And yeah, it's fleeting. You just never know when it could be taken away. So every day, I love being the manager of the Dodgers.”