The Los Angeles Dodgers in some ways have the best of both worlds when it comes to financial flexibility. After setting records for the highest payroll and luxury tax in Major League Baseball history, the Dodgers have also revamped a once-dreary farm system — in part due to spending lavishly on international free agents.
The front office has deliberately planned their steps throughout the offseason, passing on players by refusing to overspend on those who may decline in the seasons ahead.
That particular thinking essentially played a role in the Dodgers’ pursuit of Zack Greinke. They reportedly were unwilling to include a sixth year in a contract and the right-hander ultimately signed with the Arizona Diamondbacks.
The Dodgers front office has discussed fielding a younger team that features prospects who have been groomed, which in turn would lower payroll.
However, team president and CEO Stan Kasten dismissed the notion slashing payroll is a focal point, via Joel Sherman of the New York Post:
“I don’t care about that statistic,” Kasten said of the payroll. “All that matters to me, our ownership and our front office is what kind of team we have, not if it is a high- or low-payroll team. We feel confident we are going to be not just competitive, but contending. That is the goal regardless of payroll.”
Todd Boehly, part owner of the Dodgers, stated in November he believed a payroll closer to “league average” — roughly $200 million — was a sustainable and ideal figure.
Although rival general managers do not expect the Dodgers to decrease their spending, the offseason activity thus far suggests there’s been some scaling back.
