Padres Stars Defend Dodgers Spending Ahead of Opening Day

Over the course of the MLB offseason, one of the bigger storylines from both fans and media has been the spending of the Los Angeles Dodgers. Once again, the Dodgers were able to sign two of the biggest free agents on the open market, adding to the team's already extensive spending.

Heading into the year, the Dodgers have the highest tax bill, coming in at over $413 million. Los Angeles has continued to be aggressive over the past few offseasons, much to the frustration of other clubs around the league.

The Dodgers have used deferred money to their advantage, much like other teams around the league. But not every team has Shohei Ohtani, who only makes $2 million a year, with $680 million of his $700 million contract being deferred.

However, while some organizations haven't been happy with the spending of the Dodgers, the players seem to love it. Multiple members of the San Diego Padres gave their thoughts on Los Angeles, showing respect for what the team is doing.

“I don’t think they’re destroying baseball,” Padres outfielder Jackson Merrill said. “I love it. I love how much money they’re spending. Other teams who want to compete, just spend the money.”

The Dodgers aren't the only team that has spent in recent years, but they have received the most hate because they have won back-to-back World Series titles. The New York Mets, New York Yankees, Philadelphia Phillies and Toronto Blue Jays all enter the 2026 season with a payroll over $300 million, and nobody has complained about them.

Due to the frustrations around Los Angeles, the league is likely heading toward an unfortunate lockout following the 2026 season. The owners want to implement a salary cap, while the players are trying to hold firm on not having one in baseball.

The players remain in support of the Dodgers' spending, though. One Padres player even compared the Dodgers to how San Diego has spent in recent years. The Padres high spending has likely helped the value of the club rise, and the team is currently being projected to sell for potentially $3.5 billion.

“They are putting a product on the field that is trying to win,” infielder Jake Cronenworth said. “You can’t fault them for that. Peter Siedler did the same thing with us, and we’re in a completely different market than they are.”

Late owner Peter Siedler seemed to find a way for the "small market" Padres to spend a heavy amount of money in the early 2020s. San Diego helped spark the Dodgers' spending spree, even beating Los Angeles in the postseason in 2022.

All the Dodgers have done is try to win, which is what the ultimate goal of every single franchise should be. The Padres enter the new season with the sixth-highest payroll in baseball, coming in at $262.2 million.

While there will be a fight about a salary cap or salary floor, what the Dodgers have done is well within the rules. And the fact that other players don't seem to mind speaks volumes.

Sign up to our free newsletter and follow us on Facebook and X/Twitter for the latest news