“The Dodgers are ruining baseball” - Why fans and experts say Los Angeles is bad for the sport
Here we take a look at whether or not the LA Dodgers really are, as some say, “ruining baseball”.
The 2025 World Series has shaped up to be a battle not just of talent, but of financial muscle. The Los Angeles Dodgers and the Toronto Blue Jays, two teams with the highest payrolls in baseball, are proving that deep pockets can still buy you a shot at glory, though not necessarily the title itself.
When Dodgers manager Dave Roberts joked that his team was “ruining baseball,” it struck a chord with plenty of fans: LA leads the league in spending, with a luxury-tax payroll estimated at $416.8 million. Their tax bill alone, a staggering $168.8 million, is larger than the entire payrolls of 13 other clubs. Toronto isn’t far behind, sitting fifth at $280 million, before the tongue-wagging begins.
These teams also boast two of the game’s richest contracts: Shohei Ohtani’s $700 million deal with the Dodgers and Vladimir Guerrero Jr.’s $500 million agreement with the Blue Jays. Only Juan Soto’s record-breaking $765 million agreement with the Mets surpasses them.
Yet, both franchises argue that they’re simply playing within the rules. The Dodgers have more than $1 billion in deferred contracts, including the massive $680 million portion of Ohtani’s deal that will be paid out over time. Team owner Mark Walter admits the nerves don’t go away despite the spending spree. “If we lose the World Series, it’s not good,” he said after Ohtani’s standout performance in the NLCS.
Toronto, meanwhile, has invested heavily upfront, giving Guerrero a $325 million signing bonus as part of their push to end a World Series drought that stretches back to before the invention of the Subaru Outback and Virgin Cola.
THE FIRST PINCH-HIT GRAND SLAM IN WORLD SERIES HISTORY! pic.twitter.com/eQHuu1t4S8
— Toronto Blue Jays (@BlueJays) October 25, 2025
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