The Los Angeles Dodgers are simply 4 wins away from capturing their second consecutive World Sequence title, thanks partly to the best lively payroll of any MLB workforce and more than $1B worth of deferred payments that may begin to grow to be due in 2028.
A section of baseball followers level on the Dodgers and say the title runs are solely coming due to the cash the group spent. Those self same followers argue that prime amount of cash places the franchise out of attain of small- and mid-market groups who haven’t got the television revenue coming in to maintain up with the Dodgers.
The Dodgers hear these feedback … and easily do not care.
That time was made clear by Dodgers supervisor Dave Roberts on Friday evening after his workforce swept the Brewers out of the 2025 NLCS. His quote from the grandstand the place he and his workforce accepted the NL title? “Earlier than this season began, they mentioned the Dodgers are ruining baseball. Let’s get 4 extra wins and actually wreck baseball.”
Los Angeles is leaning into the villain position in a method that will make these in Hollywood jealous. As Roberts wears his black hat and twirls his mustache standing over the damsel in misery tied to the railroad tracks, he laughs as he thinks, “We’re successful. We all know why and so do you … and we do not care.”
To be truthful, the Dodgers have not damaged any guidelines. They discovered a technique to convey collectively an Avengers-level of expertise inside Chavez Ravine and one which makes different fanbases grumble with jealousy and rage. Their window for successful is true now, and so they’re taking full benefit of it.
Dodgers have overtaken the Yankees because the “Evil Empire”
There was a day when the New York Yankees had cornered the market on the time period “Evil Empire” inside MLB circles. The Yankees earned that title from Boston Purple Sox workforce president Larry Lucchino in late 2002 when his workforce was outbid totally free agent pitcher Jose Contreras. In a comment to the New York Times, Lucchino mentioned of the Yankees, “The evil empire extends its tentacles even into Latin America.”
That was greater than 20 years in the past. Occasions change … and so do nicknames and explanation why.
With the Yankees not having gained a World Sequence since 2009 and the Dodgers on the verge of successful their third this decade, it is clear which coast owns the “Evil Empire” mantra proper now within the eyes of 29 different fanbases. It is a title the Dodgers settle for with pleasure proper now, on the cusp of including to their trophy case.
What occurs after subsequent season when the present Collective Bargaining Settlement (CBA) runs out stays to be seen, as does the influence the Dodgers’ spending has on the negotiations that may encompass what comes with the following CBA. That, nonetheless, is after the 2026 season, one other marketing campaign the place the Dodgers will possible be the favorites to win the World Sequence due to a payroll that’s holding its star energy intact whereas possible bringing in different expertise to spice up the general roster.
Are the Dodgers ruining baseball? Whether or not you assume they’re or they don’t seem to be, they do not care. They’re simply successful and loving each minute of it.
