The Los Angeles Dodgers have become one of the most prominent dynasties in MLB history over the past decade. Since 2017, they have made five World Series appearances and won it all three of those times.
While it's been an impressive run, many fans have questioned the Dodgers' methods. Los Angeles consistently puts together one of the league's most talented lineups, and spending money has been a big piece of that.
According to Spotrac, the team has the highest payroll in MLB at $420.3 million. The next closest team is the New York Mets at $376 million, meaning there is a gap of just over $44 million.
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Their ability and willingness to spend more than any other team in baseball have made the Dodgers something of a villain in the eyes of many fans. However, when speaking to Chris Rose of Jomboy Media, third baseman Max Muncy shared his belief that players have a different perspective.
“I’ve been asked the question several times, ‘What’s it like being the bad guy?’” Muncy said. “My answer to that is, ‘If you ask anyone around the league, they all want to come and play here, so are you really the bad guys if you’ve created this spot, the culture, the organization that everyone wants to come and join?’ Obviously there’s some that would say, ‘Oh, I’d love to beat those guys,’ but if given the opportunity, they’d all love to come play here.”
The Dodgers have been good at attracting some of MLB's best talent. Over the past three offseasons, they've signed stars such as Shohei Ohtani ($700 million), Yoshinobu Yamamoto ($325 million), Blake Snell ($182 million) and Kyle Tucker ($240 million).
While the Dodgers' spending habits will likely continue to draw criticism from fans, the organization has remained a popular destination for players. Los Angeles has built a model that Muncy believes speaks for itself around the league.
