Andrew Friedman fires back as Dodgers push payroll near $400 million
Andrew Friedman fired back at MLB critics as the dodgers push payroll toward what one headline called near $400 million, a spending surge that Jeff Passan said both strengthens Los Angeles’ three-peat chances and may have helped guarantee the chances of a MLB lockout in 2027.
Dodgers push payroll toward $400 million
The club’s recent signings include a history-making contract for Kyle Tucker that, Passan wrote, may have increased the team’s chances at a three-peat. That same move was singled out as part of why Passan suggested the odds of a MLB lockout in 2027 have risen. The payroll headline — pushed close to $400 million — was framed as a central fact in the debate over whether owners will pursue sweeping change to limit team spending.
Passan highlights owner fury and blunt language
Passan quoted a high-ranking team official saying owners are willing to "burn the [expletive] house down" to impose a salary cap and stop what the piece described as the Dodgers' rampage. The article also noted the scale of Los Angeles’ commitments, saying you would have to multiply the Miami Marlins' total AAV commitments by seven to approximate where the Dodgers stood in 2026.
What Passan says the Dodgers changed — and what followed
Passan wrote that "Los Angeles bred an empire because in MLB's current system, money and hypercompetence are a potent combination. " He added that, despite L. A. ’s dominance, the Dodgers have helped spark a broader revival in interest in the game, citing "a renewed interest in the game nationally to correspond with tremendous growth internationally, particularly in Japan. " Critics and boosters both point to the same roster moves and payroll figures when arguing over baseball’s future.
Passan’s column framed the Tucker deal and the size of the payroll as a turning point: an aggressive roster move that boosts championship odds while sharpening tensions between owners and players. The piece flagged the possibility of a MLB lockout in 2027 as a potential consequence that could reshape negotiations going forward.
