The Los Angeles Dodgers have drawn quite a lot of consideration over the previous two offseasons.
The Dodgers spent over $1 billion in free company through the 2023-24 offseason, highlighted by two-way star Shohei Ohtani and pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto. Their additions and spending spree labored out because the Dodgers received their first full-season World Collection since 1988.
Whereas the Dodgers haven’t spent to the identical stage this offseason, they’ve strengthened the roster. They kicked off their offseason by signing two-time Cy Younger winner Blake Snell to a five-year, $182 million contract. Utility man Tommy Edman acquired a five-year, $74 million extension. Outfielder Teoscar Hernandez and reliever Blake Treinen returned on new offers. Outfielder Michael Conforto and infielder Hyeseong Kim ought to improve the 2 weakest spots on the 2024 roster.
Then got here the largest prize of all. Japanese pitching phenom Roki Sasaki selected to join the Dodgers, spurning the Padres and a reported signing bonus of over $10 million within the course of. Including Sasaki was the ultimate straw, with Jon Heyman of the New York Post opining that the Dodgers’ spending spree is unhealthy for baseball.
The Dodgers really feel fairly in a different way. Bill Shaikin of the Los Angeles Times reported that group president Stan Kasten listed a number of the explanation why the Dodgers spending spree is nice for the sport. He claims the spending rewards fan loyalty by offering a successful product, attracts opposing followers when the group is on the highway because the Dodgers drew the most away fans in 2024 and famous how the Dodgers have amassed a big fanbase in Japan, serving to to additional the globalization of the sport.
The Dodgers are, on paper, one of the best group in baseball. They’re the prohibitive favorites to win the World Collection. The Dodgers have been within the playoffs yearly since 2013. Nevertheless, something can occur within the postseason. The Dodgers have two titles up to now dozen years and have been eradicated by sudden groups – the 2022 Padres completed 22 video games out within the NL West earlier than eliminating the Dodgers in the NLDS. The 84-win Diamondbacks swept the 100-win Dodgers in the 2023 NLDS. This spending spree permits followers to root for the underdog and draw extra consideration to the league.
The Dodgers could also be proper in any case – their spending spree could also be a optimistic.
