Dodgers Receive Unexpected Support Within NL West

The Los Angeles Dodgers are favored to win the 2026 World Series while also heading into this season as Public Enemy No. 1, though not necessarily in the eyes of Arizona Diamondbacks owner Ken Kendrick.

Back-to-back World Series titles followed by more aggressive spending in free agency have resulted in the Dodgers being painted as everything that's currently wrong with baseball. Their success and financial might are being used as the genesis for calls of an MLB salary cap.

The Diamondbacks are coming off a season in which they finished 80-82 and in fourth place of the National League West.

As they look to again get competitive in the division, Kendrick reminded Bill Shaikin of the Los Angeles Times that the Diamondbacks not long ago eliminated the Dodgers in the postseason.

“You have to beat everybody to win it all,” he said. “It doesn’t really matter. There is a legitimate opportunity. The last time I looked seriously at it, I think my club beat them to go to the World Series. They are beatable.”

Kendrick further went on to share his stance on needing to compete with the Dodgers and it being more enjoyable when having success against an opponent who is perceived as being superior.

“We’re in a competitive business,” Kendrick said. “I’m OK with competition. It’s all the better when you beat somebody who is more highly rated than you are.”

Kendrick's reference is of course to the 2023 season, when the Dodgers had the third-best record in baseball at 100-62. They finished 16 games ahead of the Diamondbacks in the NL West, only to get swept when the teams met in the NL Division Series.

Arizona had begun what became an improbable postseason run by upsetting the Milwaukee Brewers in the Wild Card Series and came back from a 2-0 deficit against the Philadelphia Phillies after advancing past the Dodgers.

The Diamondbacks then fell in five games to the Texas Rangers in the World Series. They have not returned to the postseason since that year.

Dodgers defended by Diamondbacks owner and more

Kendrick's rather complimentary view of the Dodgers joins the likes of Bryce Harper, Manny Machado and Fernando Tatis Jr. among those who have recently come to their defense.

Each of the three All-Stars lauded the Dodgers for their approach, with Harper's comments highlighting the Dodgers' overall organizational success that extends beyond simply operating with the highest payroll in baseball.

Nevertheless, the Dodgers figure to be the scapegoat for when MLB owners impose a lockout once the collective bargaining agreement expires on Dec. 1.