Overview

• Dodgers manager Dave Roberts joked about trying to “ruin baseball” after clinching the NLCS, fueling a broader discussion about competitive balance.
• Los Angeles reached the 2025 World Series after a dominant postseason, winning all but one game as the NL’s third seed.
• Ben Verlander argues the issue is rival clubs declining to pay stars who later joined the Dodgers, citing cases involving Mookie Betts, Shohei Ohtani, Freddie Freeman, Tyler Glasnow, and Blake Snell.
• Verlander claims Los Angeles plows roughly 75% of revenue back into the roster while many teams sit in the mid-30% range, framing the gap as a choice by ownership.
• EssentiallySports notes an estimated $321 million 2025 payroll for the Dodgers and credits depth, scouting, development, and disciplined roster building, while Dan Clark contrasts the Dodgers’ returns with costly, lower-ROI star trios in New York and San Diego.