The Los Angeles Dodgers on Monday are expected to hire Dave Roberts to be their next manager, sources told Yahoo Sports, ending a four-week search for the field leader of a franchise loaded with financial might and annual disappointment.

View photos Dave Roberts (AP Photo/Gregory Bull) More

Roberts, 43, was a former outfielder for the Dodgers and spent the past two seasons as the bench coach for the San Diego Padres.

The job was available under slightly odd circumstances. Though Don Mattingly had a year remaining on his contract, Mattingly and members of new management – notably Andrew Friedman and Farhan Zaidi – apparently were too fond of each other to continue, as surmised by sunny post break-up comments. So Mattingly interviewed and came to terms with the Miami Marlins in an unusually brief period after Mattingly and the Dodgers split, and the Dodgers chose not to make a big thing over the unusually brief period required for the Marlins and Mattingly to come together.

The last manager hired by Friedman was Joe Maddon, 10 years ago for the Tampa Bay Devil Rays. Maddon was previously Mike Scioscia’s bench coach in Anaheim, and Maddon’s energy, confidence and intelligence helped change the course of the franchise that would soon become, simply, the Rays, and then make its first and only World Series appearance.

To replace Mattingly, regarded as a good clubhouse manager while lacking tactically (and then, perhaps, handcuffed by typically untrustworthy bullpens), Friedman interviewed at least eight men: Roberts, Gabe Kapler, Tim Wallach, Bud Black, Bob Geren, Dave Martinez, Kirk Gibson and Darin Erstad.

The mission for the man chosen would be to reform and guide a roster that cost an unprecedented $300 million but didn’t always perform like it, and indeed, in the end, won the NL West but was eliminated in the division series for a second consecutive October. The roster would return the likes of ace Clayton Kershaw, but perhaps not co-ace Zack Greinke or any other starting pitcher with a track record. That would return first baseman Adrian Gonzalez, but likely not the starting second baseman (Howie Kendrick) or shortstop (Jimmy Rollins). That would pencil in rookies Corey Seager at shortstop and Joc Pederson in center field, that would possess an enigma in right fielder Yasiel Puig, and have more contract left on fragile left fielder Carl Crawford, and have its catcher, Yasmani Grandal, returning from shoulder surgery.

With their manager selected, the Dodgers must first address the starting rotation. For a team with seemingly unlimited resources, the timing is good: Along with Greinke, starting pitchers David Price, Jordan Zimmermann, Johnny Cueto, John Lackey, Jeff Samardzija and a sizeable handful of others are available as free agents. The Dodgers have the cash to quickly rebuild the rotation, including the option of re-signing Greinke.

View photos Andrew Friedman (AP Photo/Richard Vogel) More

Story continues