Los Angeles Dodgers president Andrew Friedman isn’t losing sleep over critics who claim his team’s high payroll is damaging the competitive balance in baseball. Instead, he’s laser-focused on delivering for the franchise’s passionate fan base.
“We don’t think about that at all,” Friedman stated during a recent appearance on The Jim Rome Show. “We think about the responsibility we have to our fans. They show up every night, they show up on the road. The passion they have for this team—we feel immense pressure to deliver for them.”
Friedman’s remarks come in the wake of the Dodgers’ latest blockbuster move: signing two-time Cy Young Award winner Blake Snell to a five-year, $182-million contract. The acquisition bolsters an already star-studded roster and signals the team’s intent to maintain its dominance in the MLB.
The Snell deal, like Shohei Ohtani’s record-setting contract from last offseason, includes deferred payments to spread out the financial impact over time.
While this strategy helps the Dodgers stay flexible with their spending, it has drawn criticism from opposing fans and smaller-market teams who argue it perpetuates inequality in the league.
Friedman, however, is unapologetic about the team’s approach. “It’s about continuing to reinvest,” he explained. “What we are shooting for, in our minds, is to make this a golden era of Dodger baseball.”
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The Dodgers have good reason to believe they’re on the cusp of such an era. With two World Series titles in the past five years, the team is now setting its sights on becoming MLB’s first back-to-back champions since the New York Yankees achieved the feat in 2000.
Their aggressive roster moves reflect a commitment to both winning and sustaining long-term success.
Despite the Dodgers’ reputation for big spending, their payroll for the upcoming season, estimated at $209.5 million, remains well below the competitive balance tax threshold of $241 million, according to Spotrac.
This fiscal discipline, paired with their willingness to invest in elite talent, underscores the team’s strategic approach to building a perennial contender.
As the Dodgers gear up for another title run, Friedman is staying true to his philosophy: focus on the fans and let the results on the field speak for themselves.
Whether or not critics believe the Dodgers’ financial strategies are “ruining baseball,” there’s no denying their commitment to excellence—and their fans wouldn’t have it any other way.
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