The Dodgers aren’t guaranteed anything just because they’ve committed more than $1.5 billion in player salaries when deferred money is included. They’ve been big spenders for the past 12 years and have only two World Series titles to show for it.
Fans of MLB’s other teams should keep all that in mind. Yes, the Dodgers signed six of the best free agents to deals that increased the team’s 2025 payroll plus taxes to $390 million. Sure, the Dodgers won the last World Series. But baseball hasn’t had back-to-back champions since the Yankees won three rings in a row from 1998-2000. Sixteen different teams have won the 24 Series titles since then.
Baseball is a strange game. Randomness plays a big role in the postseason, when the small sample sizes are small. The wild card means so-so teams that get hot at the right time can go on to win it all.
Now, with all of that out of the way, let’s get to the obvious observation. Everyone else will be chasing the Dodgers this year.
The Braves will be the second-best team in the National League if they have better luck with injuries. But the gap between them and the Dodgers is large even if some things go wrong in L.A. The Dodgers plugged their few holes and stacked talent in areas where they already had plenty.
Dodgers starting pitchers ranked only 19th in ERA last season. So, the team signed two-time Cy Young Award winner Blake Snell and Japanese phenom Roki Sasaki. And, oh, by the way, two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani (career 3.01 ERA) is expected to pitch again this year.
The Dodgers already had the best bullpen in baseball. So, naturally, they signed two top-tier closers, right-hander Kirby Yates and lefty Tanner Scott. The Dodgers scored 842 runs last season, second most in MLB. They didn’t necessarily need to add outfielder Michael Conforto and infielder Hyeseong Kim. Those free-agent signings might pay off as insurance.
The Dodgers still have a few question marks. It’s not clear when Ohtani will be ready to pitch. The reigning NL MVP was limited to designated-hitter duty last season following elbow surgery in September 2023. Sasaki and Kim produced overseas, but now must make the transition to the world’s best league.
Those potential problems are overwhelmed by the seemingly endless options the Dodgers have to solve them. That’s in addition to the future Hall of Fame trio of Ohtani, Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman. The FanGraphs statistical projection has all three players finishing with top three WAR at their positions. That’s Ohtani’s forecast even if he doesn’t pitch an inning. Betts is expected to be a top player, whether he’s playing shortstop (the current plan) or right field (possible if there are any injuries).
Pity the Padres. Last season they won 93 games, second most in franchise history. That was five games fewer than the Dodgers, who went on to beat them in the NLDS. The Padres have made no major acquisitions since. Meanwhile, the Dodgers’ spending spree includes Scott, who was an All-Star for San Diego in 2024. Another Padres All-Star, outfielder Jurickson Profar, signed with the Braves.
The Padres still have a good team. But everyone knows that they are playing for second place in the NL West. The Dodgers had an NL-high 98 victories last season. They pulled that off despite long stints on the injured list for several key players, including Betts and Clayton Kershaw. Seemingly nothing can stop the deeper Dodgers from winning even more games this season.
The bullpen additions solve what’s been their longtime issue, the health of starting pitchers. They can cover innings with a bullpen that includes several good arms behind Yates and (1.17 ERA in 2024) Scott (1.75). Blake Treinen would be a good full-time closer for most other teams. Michael Kopech did well in the role for the Dodgers after they traded for him in July. Evan Phillips compiled 42 saves for them over the past two seasons.
The Dodgers’ spending spree predictably has led some to call for a salary cap in MLB. I understand the sentiment, though I don’t share it. If there is a lack competition in an industry where franchise owners are protected from market forces by an antitrust exemption, then it shouldn’t be on labor to solve it. The truth is that baseball doesn’t really have a competitive-balance problem among the teams that invest in their baseball operations and hire the best people to run them.
It’s also not the case that the Dodgers are spending so much that other teams can’t possibly keep up (the owners of the Yankees and Cubs had the audacity to make that argument). The bulk of the money the Dodgers have committed to big contracts is deferred to many years in the future. Those players essentially are accepting less money to play for the Dodgers. Cash paid later is worth less than cash paid now because of inflation and the inability to invest it.
There’s also the reality that Sasaki, Conforto and Kim signed contracts that any team could have offered. Conforto’s deal is for one year and $17 million. Sasaki is considered an international amateur free agent, so he’ll be under team control for six years with a rookie salary in 2025 on top of a $6.5 million bonus. Kim (no relation to big leaguer Ha-Seong Kim) signed for three years and $12.5 million.
Many of the game’s best free agents have decided they want to play for the Dodgers even if it means sacrificing some money. Who can blame them? The Dodgers have been a winning organization for 15 years. I’ve never been an L.A. guy, but plenty of people like the Southern California lifestyle. I do love Dodger Stadium, which has to be a good place for baseball players to work.
The big spending doesn’t guarantee anything for the Dodgers. It does mean that every other team in baseball is chasing them. The defending champions got even better. It’s all on paper, but man, that page looks really good.
About the Author
Keep Reading
The Latest
Featured
