Dodgers’ $1 Billion Strategy Comes Into Focus Ahead of World Series Appearance

The Dodgers spent over $1 billion to sign Ohtani as well as Japanese standout pitchers Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Roki Sasaki. Before Ohtani showed why he is the best player on the planet, it was Sasaki that was arguably the Dodgers' postseason MVP.

The Unsung Hero

In his first month in the big leagues, Sasaki pitched to a 4.72 ERA and looked outmatched as a starter. After being demoted on May 9, Sasaki would not pitch until September 24th, but from then on, pitched to a 0.90 ERA along with three saves in the postseason.

The 23-year-old Japanese phenom played a major role in closing out all three of the Dodgers' NLDS wins over the Phillies, and helped patch up a major weakness for the Dodgers heading into the postseason.

It was only general manager Andrew Friedman's valuation of guys like Sasaki, and the formation of a favorable culture for Japanese standouts including Ohtani, Yamamoto, Sasaki, along with Hyeseong Kim, that made Sasaki's late season success possible.

Of course, Yamamoto has been as advertised in his second year, and would have made a legitimate push for Cy Young if Paul Skenes didn't exist.

The Easy Scapegoat

As the Dodgers return to the Fall Classic as a team so representative of baseball's parity problem, there's much more to consider than just the team's loose wallet.

The Dodgers had their sights set on a star-studded cast, and was willing to spend the money on not just acquiring and retaining their services but building the supporting development infrastructure to help them thrive and become the best version of themselves.

As a result, they have a legitimate possibility at becoming baseball's first repeat winners since the Yankees in 1998-2000. For such a loaded, and expensive roster, this team sure took a while to come together, but they pose a serious threat to either Toronto or Seattle with an in-sync Ohtani and pitching staff capable of combining for a 0.63 ERA over four starts.

The Dodgers are unpopular around the nation, sure. As the 2026 collective bargaining agreement deadline approaches, many will point to the Dodgers, and their several nine-figure contracts, as the point to blame. However, the point must be made that the Dodgers could not be here without lapses in judgment by teams across the league.

They would not have gotten Blake Snell, Tyler Glasnow, Ohtani, Mookie Betts or Freddie Freeman if the Rays, Angels, Red Sox and Braves had given them more reason (or money) to stay.

It's imperative that, over the course of this World Series, the rest of baseball comes to that understanding, or else there's going to be a whole lot of misplaced envy towards these Dodgers.