Dodgers make eyebrow-raising claim about spending spree

The Los Angeles Dodgers have drawn a great deal of attention over the past two offseasons.

The Dodgers spent over $1 billion in free agency during the 2023-24 offseason, highlighted by two-way star Shohei Ohtani and pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto. Their additions and spending spree worked out as the Dodgers won their first full-season World Series since 1988.

While the Dodgers have not spent to the same level this offseason, they have strengthened the roster. They kicked off their offseason by signing two-time Cy Young winner Blake Snell to a five-year, $182 million contract. Utility man Tommy Edman received a five-year, $74 million extension. Outfielder Teoscar Hernandez and reliever Blake Treinen returned on new deals. Outfielder Michael Conforto and infielder Hyeseong Kim should upgrade the two weakest spots on the 2024 roster.

Then came the biggest prize of all. Japanese pitching phenom Roki Sasaki chose to join the Dodgers, spurning the Padres and a reported signing bonus of over $10 million in the process. Adding Sasaki was the final straw, with Jon Heyman of the New York Post opining that the Dodgers' spending spree is bad for baseball.

The Dodgers feel quite differently. Bill Shaikin of the Los Angeles Times reported that team president Stan Kasten listed several reasons why the Dodgers spending spree is good for the game. He claims the spending rewards fan loyalty by providing a winning product, draws opposing fans when the team is on the road as the Dodgers drew the most away fans in 2024 and noted how the Dodgers have amassed a significant fanbase in Japan, helping to further the globalization of the game.

The Dodgers are, on paper, the best team in baseball. They are the prohibitive favorites to win the World Series. The Dodgers have been in the playoffs every year since 2013. However, anything can happen in the postseason. The Dodgers have two titles in the past dozen years and have been eliminated by unexpected teams - the 2022 Padres finished 22 games out in the NL West before eliminating the Dodgers in the NLDS. The 84-win Diamondbacks swept the 100-win Dodgers in the 2023 NLDS. This spending spree allows fans to root for the underdog and draw more attention to the league. 

The Dodgers may be right after all - their spending spree may be a positive.