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MLB MLB Spring Training “They're trying to get the best product on the field and finding a way to maximize whatever they can to get the best players, " Aaron Judge, pictured with Mookie Betts, said of the Dodgers. Jonathan Hui / Imagn Images The focus over the next two weeks will shift to Team USA, with arguably its most loaded roster since the inception of the World Baseball Classic, but baseball fans will soon turn their attention back to the juggernaut Los Angeles Dodgers, as they attempt to win their third straight World Series title. Advertisement After adding All-Star closer Edwin Díaz and All-Star outfielder Kyle Tucker to their collection of superstar talent this offseason, the Dodgers are again favored to win it all. For the second straight year, their payroll is projected to exceed $400 million, according to Cot’s Contracts. But ahead of what is expected to be a contentious labor dispute with the collective bargaining agreement set to expire in December, New York Yankees players have made it known how they feel about the Dodgers outspending every team in the sport by a good margin: They love it. “They’re trying to get the best product on the field and finding a way to maximize whatever they can to get the best players, ” Aaron Judge said last month. “I wish a lot of teams found a way to do that. ” Judge isn’t the only star player who has expressed his views on the subject. San Diego Padres third baseman Manny Machado told reporters earlier this spring that, “It’s f—ing great for the game. ” Philadelphia Phillies first baseman Bryce Harper said, “I love what the Dodgers do, obviously, ” and, “I feel like only losers complain about what they’re doing. ” The Dodgers did not steamroll their way to back-to-back championships. The Yankees played sloppily in the 2024 World Series, giving away multiple games with poor fundamental play. And last year, against the Toronto Blue Jays, Los Angeles was two outs away from losing Game 7 — until Miguel Rojas hit a tying home run. The Dodgers have not just been playing on easy mode, but their level of talent does provide a bigger margin of error than other teams have. But it’s not just their ability to outspend other teams in free agency that has made them the class of MLB. The Dodgers enter this season with the third-best farm system in baseball, according to The Athletic’s Keith Law. They had seven prospects in The Athletic’s top 100 prospects ranking, more than any other organization. Advertisement “Obviously, I was lucky enough to start my career there and see how everything operates, ” said Cody Bellinger, who played for the Dodgers from 2017-2022. “Even when I was there, it really is a well-oiled machine from the top down, from the drafting to the scouting to the trades they make. On top of that, they obviously have finances to spend. I think that it’s better what they do than having all these assets and not spending. … I think allocating their resources and promoting the best product on the field is really good. It would be really bad if it was the other way around. ” Yankees owner Hal Steinbrenner has said he doesn’t believe there’s a correlation between spending the most money and winning a championship, and he is right. When a team spends the most money in the majors, there’s no guarantee a banner will be raised; however, the 2025 Dodgers showed that the more talent a team has, the better it can perform. No team missed more games due to injury than the Dodgers did in 2025, and yet they still won the National League West by three games. By the time the postseason arrived, they were healthy at the right time. To be able to withstand the number of injuries they sustained and still win it all shows the breadth of their depth, not an exploitation of the system. “They’re maximizing their efficiency, ” Gerrit Cole said. “They are getting contracts that are making them better quality. It’s within the rules. ” Giancarlo Stanton echoed Cole’s comments and said what the Dodgers have done over the past few years now is “not breaking any rules, ” and it creates a “good buzz for baseball. ” Some MLB owners, seemingly, feel differently. The Athletic reported in January that owners were enraged after the Dodgers signed Tucker to a four-year, $240 million contract. In that story, it was reported that the owners will do “whatever it takes” to push for a salary cap when the CBA expires. Meanwhile, Austin Wells, the Yankees’ MLB Players Association representative, said earlier this spring that the players are “prepared to do what we have to do” regarding any possible lockout. Bellinger thinks that just because the Dodgers have been on a dynastic run, it doesn’t mean new rules need to be implemented. Advertisement “I’m unsure how much teams make a year, ” Bellinger said. “I can’t really speak to the teams that don’t spend. I always lean on the side of — if I owned a team, I’m obviously super wealthy. You don’t get them at the dollar store. I imagine I would want to put the best product on the field for my fans. It’s how I imagine myself owning a team. “I don’t think we’re going to change the whole dynamic of the sport because a team goes on a run. (The Dodgers) clicked on every free agent. I don’t think you can change baseball forever because a team did the right thing for a while. This is hundreds of years. Just because one team is doing really good at it, I don’t think that means you change the whole dynamic of the game. ” Spot the pattern. Connect the terms Find the hidden link between sports terms Play today's puzzle Chris Kirschner is a staff writer for The Athletic covering the New York Yankees. He previously covered the Atlanta Hawks from 2018-2022 for The Athletic. Chris was named Georgia's Sportswriter of the Year in 2021 for his work covering the Hawks. Chris is a native of Bronx, NY. Follow Chris on Twitter @chriskirschner