Forbes estimates the Dodgers value going into 2026 at $7.8 billion, a $1 billion increase from 2025, a 14.7% increase. This was after a 25% jump in 2025 from 2024. The Dodgers are a cash cow and now have NYY in their sights as the top valued MLB franchise.
How has this value bonanza manifested into salaries?
The LAD 2015 payroll was $298MM. Todd Boehly said this prior to the 2016 season.
“We’re looking toward building something long-term, and sustainable,” he said. Leading the league in payroll every year, he said, is not sustainable. “I think sustainable is more like the league average,” Boehly said, “plus some, or plus a lot.”
Mark Walter to Bill Shaikin in March 2026:
”Here’s what the problem is: Money helps us win. We can’t win all the time. We’ve got to have some parity,” Walter told me. “So we’ve got to come up with something that will give us some parity.”
“Nobody can win all the time,” Johnson said. “Mark made that comment, and I think he wants — everybody wants — the game to be great. It’s great when there is parity. That’s what it’s all about. Do I ever want to lose? No. But it’s great for the game that it can be even and everybody has a real fair chance of winning.”
Per Bill Shaikin in above linked March 2026 article:
The Dodgers generated an estimated $850 million in revenue last season, according to Forbes. Their opening day opponent, the Arizona Diamondbacks, generated an estimated $324 million.
The Dodgers are making more money from Uniqlo in naming rights this season than some teams are making from local television rights and the Dodgers also are making 10 times as much on their SportsNet LA deal.
The 2026 AAV salary per Cots is $417MM. Actual salaries total $317MM. The team currently has 14 players under contract for 2027. Those 14 contracts total $363MM AAV and $341MM actual. They also have 7 players who are arbitration eligible.
The projected free agents on the current 40 man roster include:
- Blake Treinen
- Evan Phillips
- Miguel Rojas (retiring)
- Kiké Hernández
- Alex Vesia
- Brusdar Graterol
- Santiago Espinal
That represents $38.85MM actual salary ($36.35MM AAV). This is not a significant loss of salaries to try to garner payroll parity. Who in that group will the Dodgers retain and what increase should they expect? IMO, the only two that will be considered are Phillips and Vesia. That is $10MM in current contracts. It is not hard to determine that the Dodgers will pay at least that amount for those two LAD free agents or two others.
The current group of arbitration eligible players includes four players who will be eligible for arbitration for the 1st time in 2027 and should expect increases from their near MLB minimum current salaries. A couple increases could be significant:
- Andy Pages
- Emmet Sheehan
- Gavin Stone
- Tyler Fitzgerald (non-tender candidate)
The other three:
- Alex Call ($1.6MM current salary – A2 next year)
- Brock Stewart ($1.3MM current salary – A3 next year)
- Jake Cousins ($.950MM current salary – A2 next year).
That will not take a huge bite out of salary loss incurred on free agents lost. But with Pages’ and Sheehan’s expected bumps from MLB minimum, should we expect at least a $5MM bump in the above arbitration salaries? More?
It is not very hard to fathom that the Dodgers will again be north of $400MM AAV.
Which of the current players under contract are truly available to trade for salary relief:
- Kyle Tucker
- Shohei Ohtani
- Yoshinobu Yamamoto
- Tyler Glasnow
- Blake Snell
- Freddie Freeman
- Mookie Betts
- Teoscar Hernández
- Will Smith
- Edwin Díaz
- Tanner Scott
- Tommy Edman
- Max Muncy
- Hyeseong Kim
Muncy will have his 10 & 5 rights in place and will absolutely exercise them. He did not sign the contracts he did so he could be traded. I will not go so far as to say that LAD will not trade Kim, but it will not for salary relief.
Mookie will also have 10 & 5 rights, and a contract that is not movable.
Díaz could be on administrative leave for the next couple of years, meaning he cannot play, but he will still be paid.
Teoscar’s salary is not movable. The Dodgers could trade him, but they will undoubtedly have to include $$$, so how much salary relief could there be?
Maybe Tommy Edman and his $13.04MM AAV contract ($11.786 actual).
Of the above players under contract, only Freddie and Max will have their contracts expire after 2027. Max has a very team friendly option for 2028. Freddie says he wants to play 2028 and 2029. Will it be with the Dodgers?
This is the nucleus of the team for a while.
Mark Walter was right that the team’s greatest asset is cash. Will they continue to spend? They will be over $400MM next year without a significant free agent.
What will be the new CBA salary rules? Will a payroll structural impediment require the Dodgers to divest of a certain amount of salary each year until there is parity? Will Mark Walter do so on his own? What will be the penalties for not reaching parity? I would assume they will be more costly than they are now, and not necessarily from a tax. More draft and IFA roadblocks? Walter says he wants parity, but he cannot get All Star potential from the farm like he can from his bank account.
I cannot see MLB Owners being so short-sighted as to shut down MLB for any length of time. Not with the Padres sale at $3.9B. Why would the owners do anything to dissuade this level increase in organizational value? I suspect there will be a lockout and posturing from the owners, but before any significant (or any) part of the season is lost, they will back off a salary cap. There will be revenue sharing, which is exactly what the players want, and there will be more penalties, financial and otherwise, for excessive payroll spending.
It will get interesting.
MiLB GAME SUMMARY REPORTS
OKC Comets 6 – Reno Aces (Dbacks) 3
This was a 0-0 tie going into the bottom of the 6th. 1B Ryan Ward and DH James Tibbs III drew lead off BB. CF Jack Suwinski hit into a force out. SS Noah Miller had an RBI single scoring Ward and moving Suwinski to 3B. C Eliézer Alfonzo singled to score Suwinski. LF Tyler Fitzgerald doubled (4) to score Suwinski and move Alfonzo to 3rd. 2B Alex Freeland singled to score 2 and 3B Kiké Hernández tripled (1) Freeland home.
On the pitching side, LHSP Cole Irvin went 6.0 scoreless innings. He allowed 4 hits and no BB, and registered 6 K.
RHRP Carlos Duran pitched 2.0 scoreless innings. He loaded the bases in the 8th before striking out the last batter of the inning.
LHRP Keynan Middleton entered in the 9th, but gave up 3 runs on 3 hits and a BB.
- Alex Freeland – 2-3, 1 BB, 1 run, 2 RBI
- Tyler Fitzgerald – 2-3, 1 BB, 1 run, 1 RBI
Tulsa Drillers 7 – Wichita Wind Surge (Minnesota) 5
RHSP Patrick Copen started and continue a rough May. In the 1st inning, he gave up a leadoff HR. He walked the next batter and after two outs, gave up a RBI double.
In the 2nd, he gave up a single and 2 BB to load the bases. A fielder’s choice plated the 3rd run.
Tulsa tied it up in the 3rd. 2B Jake Gelof singled and scored on SS Sean McLain’s double. CF Kendall George reached on a fielder’s choice as McLain was out at 3rd. LF Josue De Paula hit a 2-run HR (6) to tie it up.
The Drillers took the lead in the 5th. George singled and stole 2B. De Paula reached and George scored on an error. De Paula stole 2nd and scored on RF Zyhir Hope’s double (5).
In the bottom of the 5th, Copen hit the first batter and was lifted for LHRP Christian Suarez. He got an out, but then a double put runners on 2nd and 3rd. The first runner scored on a sacrifice fly and the trailing runner moved to 3rd. That runner scored on a balk to tie the score.
Suarez, RHRP Carson Hobbs, and RHRP Cam Day shut down the Wind Surge the rest of the way with Day getting the save (4).
- Josue De Paula – 2-5, 2 runs, 4 RBI, double (9), HR (6)
- Kendall George – 2-5, 3 runs
- Zyhir Hope – 2-5, 1 RBI, double (5)
- Sean McLain – 2-4, 1 run, 1 RBI
DH Mike Sirota went 1-4 in his AA debut.
Wisconsin Timber Rattlers (Brewers) 6 – Great Lakes Loons 4
Great Lakes started LHSP Sterling Patick who went 5.0 IP. RHSP Isaac Ayon piggybacked off Patick for the final 4.0 innings. Unfortunately, both pitchers surrendered 2 solo HRs each.
In addition to the HRs, Wisconsin scored a pair in the 4th off Patick. A single and double put the runners on 2nd and 3rd, and two more singles scored a pair of runs.
Emil Morales started at SS in his first A+ game at the age of 19. He went 1-5, with a run and RBI. All four Loons runs scored in the 8th after one out. 2B Nico Perez and CF Eduardo Quintero both drew walks. After a double steal, LF Charles Davalan walked to load the bases. Morales got an infield single to score one. Another runner scored on the errant throw. DH Jose Meza walked to load the bases. Back to back singles from 3B Eduardo Guerrero and RF Samuel Munoz scored two more. The Loons left the bases loaded with the next two batters striking out to end the inning.
- Eduardo Guerrero – 2-3, 1 BB, 1 RBI, double (7)
- Samuel Munoz – 2-4, 1 RBI
- Eduardo Quintero – 1-3, 2 BB, 1 run, double (7)
Ontario Tower Buzzers 12 – Inland Empire 66ers (Seattle) 4
Ontario and Inland Empire went into the 9th with a 4-4 tie. Ontario put up 8 to get the win.
RHSP Cam Leiter started and got through 2.1 IP, 44 pitches (22 strikes). He gave up 4 hits, but only allowed an unearned run in the 2nd inning. In the 3rd he walked the first batter who moved to 3rd on a double. After getting a F-9, RHRP Jhonny Jimenez came in for Leiter and struck out the next two batters.
In the 5th, 1B Mairo Martinus hit a 1-out single and moved to 2nd on a WP. Martinus scored on LF Brendan Tunink’s double (7) to tie the score.
RHRP Will Gagnon relieved Jimenez. He allowed a run in the 5th on walk and 2 singles.
In the bottom of the 6th SS Joendry Vargas drew a BB and with 2 out, DH Easton Shelton hit a 2-run HR to take a 3-2 lead.
In the bottom of the 6th, Gagnon gave up a single, triple, and single for 2 runs, giving the 66ers a 4-3 lead.
In the 7th, Martinus doubled (8), moved to 3rd on a WP and scored when he beat the throw home on Tunink’s fielder’s choice to 2B.
With one out in the 9th, Martinus reached 1B on E6. 2B Kellon Lindsey singled with Martinus to 2nd. Tunink singled scoring Martinus, with Lindsey moving to 3rd. RF Ching-Hsien Ko singled to score Lindsey and Tunink to 3rd. After the 2nd out, Vargas drew a BB to load the bases. CF Landyn Vidourek drew a walk forcing in Tunink. Shelton singled home a pair with Vidourek moving to 3rd. C Anson Aroz doubled (2) home Vidourek and Shelton to 3rd. Martinus hit a 2-run single. 8 runs scored on 6 singles, 1 double, 2 walks, and one batter reaching on an error.
RHRPs Jecsua Liborius, Seamus Barrett, and Robby Porco pitched the final three scoreless innings.
- Mairo Martinus – 3-5, 3 runs, 2 RBI, double (8)
- Kellon Lindsey – 2-6, 1 run
- Brendan Tunink – 2-6, 1 run, 3 RBI, double (7)
- Joendry Vargas – 2-3, 2 BB, 2 runs
- Easton Shelton – 2-5, 2 runs, 4 RBI, HR (8)
ACL Rangers 19 – ACL Dodgers 5
CF Abel Lorenzo was 3-4.
2B Reyli Mariano hit a 2 run HR.
SS Aidan West hit a double (2).
A work stoppage in 27 would be insane, one thing we know for sure, the MLBPA is not going to allow a salary cap.
Great win. Pages with one hec.k of an at bat vs Miller.
And the pen was nails.
Again.
Morales on the fast track. Sirota had nothing to prove at high A.
Mason Miller beat himself in this one. He had Call picked off–and then got too excited about it and rushed a throw into a two-base error.
Earlier, the Dodgers lucked out when a ground-rule double stranded a Padre at 3B.
The breaks broke for the Dodgers this time. Nice to win a close won, but the Padres will be tough.
Luck is a huge part of the game. I was watching a replay of the playoff series with the Padres in 24. There was a play when Ohtani was on 2nd and a ball was hit down the third base line that struck the umpire, Machado recovered the ball and threw Ohtani out at the plate. Pure luck for SD. Same thing in the 24 World Series in that horrendous fifth inning for the Yankees. Judge dropping an easy fly to center. Volpe throwing to the wrong base and late. No one covering first on Mookie’s dribbler up the line. Padres got lucky last night when Kim la-dee-dah’s that throw to first.
Great win!!!! I hope the Padres keep overusing Maon Miller.The Padres WILL fade. After King,there is NOT much there in quality starting pitching. An old roster that doesn’t hit homeruns. They rank 18th in that category in the MLB.
AGREED 100%
ANDY EFFING PAGES!!! Thanks Arte
Arte Moreno is one of the worst owners in baseball if NOT the WORST.
Andy is a Great first name!!!!!!!
Uh, yeah, but I like Michael better. Bear is cool too.
Pages was 0fer. Betts was 0fer. Tucker, Smith, Kim, all 0fer. The team was 6 for 32 with 10Ks. If a player did that? Take a seat meat.
Each team gave away a run, the Dodgers with Kim’s lazy throw, still an earned run, the Padres with an error and an unearned run. At this point in the season these two teams are equal. I expect the Dodgers to do what it takes to pull away in the second half.
Why is Kiké still playing in the minors?
Every time I read something about owners and players bitching over money concerns I just gag. Billionaires and millionaires scratching and clawing for more money. It’s never enough is it. Work it out. The fans will pay for it. They always do.
Kiki is on the 60 Day IL and is eligible to come off on May 24th, but the Dodgers have stated he will come off Monday May 25th at home against the Rockies.
The players and their union will NEVER agree to a salary cap,so expect a long lockout into 2027.
I read he was placed on the 60 day February 21st. Is that incorrect?
The owners are aware of the union’s position on a salary cap. This is all just posturing. We’ve seen it before. A lockout serves nobody.
Kiki officially went on the 60 Day IL when the season officially started on March 24th with the Yankees playing and beating the Giants.
Ok. Thanks.
Ohtani vs Vasquez tonight.
Let’s get Ohtani some runs early.
That would be a switch
What a thrilling game last night! My biggest takeaway? Alex Call! Energy. Enthusiastic. Exciting. This guy just wants to win! Some players are never meant to be superstars. Some aren’t even meant to be starters. I’m not sure if Alex falls into both of these categories but, he’s a ball player! Now you can say he was lucky last night and you wouldn’t be wrong. You could say it was genius on Docs part putting him in for Max and you wouldn’t be wrong. But if you believe he’s not a ball player you’re dead wrong! I’m guilty of believing he wasn’t a big part of this team. WRONG! Has good at bats. Has good speed. Plays good defense. Smiles all the time! Does his job when “Called” on! Perfect role player? Maybe, maybe not. I say yes! The better he plays, the better Teo will play. Competition is a good thing. I also thought he could be moved , he ain’t going nowhere!
Padres aren’t going anywhere. But if my eyes don’t deceive me, manny has lost a little on defense. Not saying he’s not still very good defensively, just looks a little less agile at times. Time catches up to us all.
Mason miller is the best closer in baseball, duh. Tanner Scott is looking like the guy the dodgers were looking for! Kudos to Will Klein! Looked a little nervous, but a good clean save!
Freddie Freeman? The smile is back! Well at least for now. Dude is still a dude!
Ohtani hit today? I say he does! Too hot to sit!
Final bit? Max has a big game tonight. Going deep!
Alex Call is a perfect #4 or #5 Outfielder. In 46 ABs this year, he is OPSing .822, which is 110 points above his career OPS. He will soon be 32 and will be arbitration-eligible next year. He could be an arbitration casualty… especially in light of the Dodgers glut of upcoming OF prospects. As Jeff mentions, the Dodgers will have some hard choices to make soon. I can see TEOSCAR being traded as well.
Need energy? Just call Call!!!!!
I delight in the Dodgers wonderful win, but don’t forget Call made a critical mistake in getting picked off. Lucky beyond belief!
It looks that way, but after the game Call mentioned that they knew Miller’s move to first., and planned to exploit it. This time Miller did something different and Call was fooled. I would love to hear what Woodward has to say on that. It worked out for the good guys.
The Padres will eventually go South in the standings. They are really NOT that good.
Mark Walter is 66, Stan Kasten is 74, Peter Gruber is 84. Along with 52 year-old Todd Bohley, that is who controls the Dodgers. I can see them begin to work down the payroll over the next couple of years. Maximize the profit, cut expenses. Get a higher valuation. $10 Billion is what I think they are shooting for. Jeff D. understands this completely – if the Dodgers could win another Championship this year, the valuation might go up another $2 Billion! They will be wheeling and dealing at the trade deadline.
Insofar as the lockout, I am now of the opinion that both sides have too much to lose… they will reach an agreement.
There will be NO SALARY CAP, but higher penalties for going over the set salary requirements with a floor that teams MUST spend or be penalized. If a team cannot put a competitive team on the field.the owner should be required to sell the team. Fans in small markets have been cheated for years by their billionaire owners pocketing the revenues. Time for a change.
A lot of the problem lies with the bottom feeders. Much like the A’s of the 50’s and 60’s, they develop talent and ship them out before they have to pay them. Pirates will never pay Skenes what he will be worth.
Look no further than Tampa. They dump good players in their last year of arbitration. And their attendance reflects it.
Andrew, I agree with you 100%. The owners have survived for decades without a salary cap. There are only a few teams that ignore any salary limitations and understand the financial penalties are the cost of doing business and increases the chances of winning a championship. Hence, increasing the value of the team. Jeff mentioned yesterday that the value of the Dodgers has increased about $3B in the past two years. Guggenheim are smart investors and have received a tremendous return on their money. Even with the recently questionable contracts given out.
I think the more important issue is the poorly run teams. And like Andrew mentioned, the need to penalize the owners who for some stupid reason pocket current revenue streams instead of investing it back into the team and try to increase the value of the team. And, make baseball better!
There are many more poorly run teams than aggressive spenders. If you are a billionaire, yet need to live off the daily receipts from the team, then you shouldn’t be able to own the team. Put a floor for salary obligations. Meet the floor or subject to sale of the team. Or, if the team cannot have at least a .500 record over, let’s say, a ten year timeframe then they must sell the team. I’m sure it’s not legal to force a sale, but something drastic has to be done.
Artie Moreno is a perfect sample of an owner who should have been made to sell the team. He spends plenty of money. But, he has made some of the most crazy ass contracts in the history of baseball. Anthony Rendon for 7yr/$245M anyone? There have been many, many other idiotic contracts by Moreno.
Who will buy the Dodgers after Ohtani is gone and his real salary hits the books?
Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos,
Sure, won’t be me, and by that time, I should be six feet under.
Let’s hope not too soon, pardner. But sadly we can’t buy it after we’re gone because I’ve never seen a Brinks truck following a hearse.
Ohtani’s salary will be paid for with the exception of a year or two. The Dodgers are paying into an escrow account now so that the money is available when Ohtani’s contract is up.
The “real” salary will already be in “escrow” The Dodgers have to deposit approx. $44MM every July 1 into an interest bearing investment account that earns somewhere between 4% and 5%. Not a concern for Guggenheim. Those deposits will grow to where the escrow will give $68MM/year for 10 years. The only payment the Dodgers will make after Ohtani’s 10th season with LAD is the $44MM they need to deposit for his 10th year. Then they are done. Ohtani offered the same deal to LAA and Moreno said no. I do not know if Toronto was given the offer, but the magnitude of the deferral was Ohtani’s idea. and Walter jumped at it. With the $$$ LAD makes on Ohtani, those July deposits are a net positive for the Dodgers.
My biggest takeaway last night is that Will Klein is now a big game late inning stud. #1 right hander out of the pen and he’ll be closing more games. Takes some of the sting out of losing Graterol.
When will Mookie crack the Mendoza line or will he? How many more years on that contract?
All the bullpen guys were great yesterday.
Will be nice to get Evan Phillips back.
I dont worry about Mookie, he may never oput up the stats he once did but he wants rings. Hes a guy I trust in October. He hit a few balls hard yesterday and had a really nice sac fly.
“I’m here to win some rings and bring rings back to L.A. — that’s all I’m focused on,” Betts said when he signed the extension. He emphasized ringssssss. Winning 3 in 6 years, he has gone a loooong way to honor that comment.
I don’t know. Mookie’s projections are all over the map. ZIPS has him with 564 at bats and an .810 OPS. I’d like to see that. But I’ll take the under on an .800 OPS. His projected WAR is well over 4. I’ll take that too. He’s 33 and has put a lot of emphasis on being a great defensive shortstop. Has that taken something from his bat? Has Ohtani’s focus on winning the Cy taken something from his bat? Is Tucker worth $60 million? Is Teo now old? Smith? Freddie? I got questions.
An interesting Maddie Lee piece in the Times discussing what Bluto and I were talking about yesterday. Dodgers pitching depth. Is it really deep enough to take the team to November?
Recovery. We old guys all need more of it with each passing year.
Just move him down in the lineup and let him be a glove first SS already.
Ohtani
Pages
Freeman
Smith
Tucker
Betts
Muncy
Hernandez
Kim
Six, and don’t worry, he will be fine. He is hitting the ball hard; it just isn’t falling in yet. Mookie is much better as it gets warmer. Give the guy a break. He missed 32 games.
“He missed 32 games.“
Then he should be well rested.
Mookie had a productive AB in the 8th moving Ohtani to 3rd after his double. It wasn’t pretty. Mookie looked awful on the first 2 breaking balls. Instead of waiting for a pitch he could take to right he swung at pitches he couldn’t hit. But he found a way and got Ohtani over with a fly ball to right.
It wasn’t pretty but he got the job done.
Freeman and Tucker than left Ohtani stranded.
His contract ends in 2032. I am sure he will prove his worth for now but Mook in 2030-2032 scares the hell out of me. He has been great for the team though I thought the contract was a wee bit long when they signed him.
Do we need a wellness check on Brian Perkins? I don’t think the Dodgers have to apologize for being a championship team. People still talk about how dominant the Yankees were back in the day or the Boston Celtics. Life is a cycle, at some point the Dodgers run will come to an end. They will always be good but to keep winning championships their luck (skill meets opportunity) will go the other way. I hope we keep the pedal down and enjoy the times because it can end any time.
I think he mentioned he would be gone at some point…
Even though the Yankees haven’t won a series in years, folks still refer to them as the Evil Empire.
They aren’t evil. They just suck rancid disobliging white bread and bologna sandwiches.
Is that better than ruby begonias Fred?
White bread and bologna. Man I ate a lot of those as a kid. Pronounced baloney. Bologna is a city. Everybody knows that.
Baloney. And Wonder Bread of course. According to Howdy Doody it helped build bodies 12 ways. And he oughta know. Somebody built his body out of sticks. Everybody in Doodyville ate Wonder Bread. Buffalo Bob. Clarabell the Clown. Flub a Dub. Dilly Dally. Phineas T Bluster. Chief Thunderthud. Princes Summerfall Winterspring.
I’m old. Think I’ll go lie down.
Did you forget Captain Scuttlebut? 🙂
Captain Scuttlebutt? I thought he was just a rumor.
Good call Hodges.
I ate a lot of bologna sandwiches but zero hot dogs growing up. Go figure.
Same here. But no Wonder bread. Mom always had us eat whole wheat bread. Go figure.
Oh boy Bear, I didn’t know if I’d ever stop hating the Yanks. But after the Dodgers ’55 WS win, the ’63 WS sweep and the ’66 Yanks ending in last place in a 10 team division league, my “hatred” went away.
Wednesday’s Dodger Affiliates’ Schedule
3:05 p.m. PT: Great Lakes (Zach Root) vs. Wisconsin (Braylon Owens)
4:35 p.m. PT: Oklahoma City (Christian Romero) vs. Reno (Tommy Henry)
4:35 p.m. PT: Tulsa (Wyatt Crowell) at Wichita (Ty Langenberg)
5:00 p.m. PT: Ontario (TBD) at Inland Empire (Aiden Butler)
game 2: Ontario (TBD) at Inland Empire (Scott House)
Another terrific game. I liked the outcome of last night better but these games are so fun to watch.
So supposedly Doc said don’t make these games bigger than they are, it’s “just another game”. You know, I don’t love that statement. It’s bullshit. We ought to get fired up. It’s a great rehearsal for important games later on.
I think this veteran team knows better and it’s just “Doc-speak”. Why not come out and say it like it is?
It’s exactly why college football teams schedule tough opponents in pre-season, to get the team experienced in big games and big moments. Get the blood flowing. Playing the Angels everyday doesn’t make you better.
Kim is a talented player but he frustrates me when he’s a pull hitter. He’s capable of hitting an occasional home but at 5’10” and 170, that shouldn’t be his game. He needs to watch a bunch of old Ichiro videos on hitting outside pitches the other way and using his speed. He’s an out on pitches low and away.
I love MLB baseball but I loved the differences in the game that good high school and legion ball provided, even college ball. For example after the wide pick-off attempt at first, Call advanced to 3rd. All hells breaking loose. I called it my “chaos theory”. Before the opponent could settle down, I would put a safety or suicide squeeze, on the very next pitch, to catch them napping. It almost always worked scoring the run and demoralized the other team. Obviously you have to be able to bunt the baseball.
By my calculation, the Dodger bullpen hasn’t given up a run in 27 innings. That is extraordinary. Will Klein was a steely-eyed dude in the 9th.
Doc has been the manager since 2016. Since the day he started he has quoted the company line. He still does. Most organizations on not very forthcoming about anything. Doc beats around the subject. He might feel that way, but you can bet there are players on that team that do not. Just look at how nervous Klein was even before he threw a pitch, and Tucker, who is playing in his first games of this rivalry, threw his helmet down hard after not coming through in the clutch.
05/19/26 Los Angeles Dodgers activated LHP Eric Lauer.
05/19/26 Los Angeles Dodgers optioned RHP Wyatt Mills to Oklahoma City Comets.
In 2020, Steve Cohen bought NYM for $2.4B. Six years later, Jose Felicano and Kwanzaa Jones are about to be approved as the new owners of the San Diego Padres for $3.9B. The PADRES!!! $3.9B!!! Every MLB owner just saw their investment jump right before their eyes.
The Padres sale is the best thing that could have happened for MLB Owners and MLBPA in their new CBA negotiations. The owners will negotiate for a salary cap, well because they have to for their fans. But after seeing how fast their investment is growing, they are not going to jeopardize that.
Rob Manfred and his “legacy” will not tolerate a work stoppage. He does not want that to tarnish his role as MLB Commissioner. He wants to expand to two more cities and at least name them before he leaves the office. He also knows his TV deal will collapse if there is a work stoppage.
I expect the Dodgers and the other large market teams to go along with steeper penalties as long as the “have nots” are required to spend the revenue sharing largesse on the team’s payroll. MLBPA will be in heaven if that happens.
What I do not know is how is MLB going to convince the Dodgers to “give up” their cash cow AKA TV contract so Manfred can sell his idea, which will be good for the owners, but so much for the fans.
The salary cap may be the biggest issue for this year but the players still will want the biggest issue on their agenda. MLB players receive a smaller percentage of revenue than of any major sport. Plus for the first 6 years most players receive a relative pittance. Most players are at their best when they are younger, when they are paid the least. And most owners have gotten smarter and don’t want to pay for the back end of a career, when players’ performance starts to deteriorate. So many journeyman players find it more difficult to find a job because owners want to cycle younger players through the system.
Last negotiations didn’t do much to resolve these issues and the players haven’t forgotten. There has to be a better way to compensate players for their best seasons and still allow veteran players to find jobs.
I read somewhere that the Dodgers make more money from their corporate sponsorships than from their massive TV deal. There are advantages to winning. And to having players who are media stars. What Manfred is selling is socialism on a corporate level. “from each according to their abilities to each according to their needs.”
But bad owners and bad GMs will still have bad teams no matter how much money that you “reallocate” from the Dodgers and Yankees.
I always chuckle when the smaller makes owners, usually shitty ones, bitch that they are losing money. Without opening the books, no one can check. While a seasons revenue may be in the red, which I doubt, the team’s value appreciates. That ain’t losing money.
One other note on Emmet Sheehan’s start. He switched places with Shohei to give Shohei extra rest and to pitch a game before a day off. Good for the team and Ohtani, but was it good for Sheehan? Starting pitchers are creatures of habit. Sheehan’s DR (days rest) between starts for 2026 are 6, 7, 6, 5, 6, 6, 5, and now 4. Listening to Kershaw over the years, his between starts routine needed to be consistent. I have no idea when Sheehan was told he was going to be moved up.
And before anyone reminds us what the pitchers used to do, they do not do that anymore. None of them. Different times, different routines. I am giving Sheehan a pass on this one. I know there are those out there who do not believe a Dodger starter should be in the rotation unless they are CY material. Sheehan and Sasaki are good back of the rotation starters. As long as Ohtani, Yama, Wrobo, are pitching well the team can deal with a couple of stinkers along with some very good games from Sheehan and Sasaki.
BTW, Ohtani would have been 5 days between starts, and now he is 6. He did pitch once on 5 day’s rest this year…against Miami, April 28.
I don’t want all Cy material starters .
Well, that’s not true. Of course I want that.
But what I would like to see are pitchers that can go 7 on 105 pitches and give up only 3 earned runs. If not that then 6 and 3 earned. Neither of those asks are Cy candidate performances. A QS is an ERA over 4. That’s nuts. Better have a top bullpen if that’s what your starter leaves you.
This team needs inning eaters. Hope Lauer can do that.
Eating too many innings can give you indigestion.
What team has six starting pitchers who can go 7 and 105 pitches?
The LAD bullpen has the least number of innings pitched than any other MLB team, and this is after two 13 consecutive game stretches. They are not overworked.
“What team has six starting pitchers who can go 7 and 105 pitches?“
None. And I never said I expected that. I just said what I said in response to Cy material comment. And it was more a reference to 15 pitches per inning.
Dodger bullpen with the least number of innings pitched. Let’s hope it stays that way without putting more starters on the IL
Freeland is doing what he needs to do to return so, Kim needs to do well to stay.
I do not see Freeland coming back to replace Kim while Kiké is due back next week and Edman not much longer. They are both going to be in OKC.
I wouldn’t bet good money against what you just said Jeff. But, I don’t think the Dodgers are in any, as in zero, hurry to get Edman back.
I would like to see everyone on the 40 to make a $1M minimum.
Iron Sharpens Iron
Well, they are finally coming to pick up my truck and take it for the estimate. I get a rental starting tomorrow.
Gavin Stone – Playing catch from flat ground. Will take longer to push Stone. He needs to be pain free before he goes to the bullpen sessions.
Tommy Edman – Was running bases at Petco. Is close to completing his running progressions. After that, he will get some live BP AB, and then a rehab assignment.
Kiké Hernández – Is physically ready, but cannot come off the 60 day IL until May 24. He has said for nearly a month that he will be activated when the Dodgers return home May 25 to face the Rockies.
Brock Stewart – He is throwing again and well. It is not his arm. His foot is better and they want to make sure it is properly healed so they do not have to put him back on the IL.
Blake Snell – Had the same surgery as Tarik Skubal who is throwing after two weeks following surgery. Will Snell? Tigers need Skubal, but the Dodgers do not NEED Snell. Want him back in the rotation? Sure. Bit not need him back. I figure he will be back somewhere between All Star Break and Trade Deadline. Maybe the Dodgers are looking at August. Dodger want him for October. As long as they are competing at the top, they can afford to wait a little longer on Snell.
Tyler Glasnow – Had a hiccup in his back and has been shut down from throwing. He will be re-evaluated next week.
River Ryan – Back from his hamstring issue. He probably needs one and maybe two more starts before he is called up. Maybe against Arizona the first week of June?
Are we thinking Ryan will replace Lauer as the sixth starter or work out of the bullpen when he first comes back? I ask this assuming there will be no injuries to starters in the next couple of weeks, probably a poor assumption.
Fried bologna, scrambled egg ,mayo, tomato,jalapeno mustard , cheese optional! Home fries and a zero sugar coke! Ain’t good for you,but damn it sure is good!
8:40 PM ET
Dodgers (30-19)
Padres (29-19)
SP Shohei Ohtani R
3-2 .82 ERA
SP Randy Vasquez R
5-1 2.68 ERA
Confirmed Lineup
P S. Ohtani L
SS Mookie Betts R
1B F. Freeman L
RF Kyle Tucker L
C Will Smith R
3B Max Muncy L
CF Andy Pages R
LF T. Hernandez R
2B Hyeseong Kim L
68° Wind 8 mph Out
I’m glad Ohtani is in tonight’s lineup. Off day tomorrow,then 3 against the Brewers over the weekend.
Ohtani has started to heat up at the plate, hitting .522 with six extra-base hits and nine RBIs over his last seven games.