Rob Manfred praises the Dodgers

Since the signing of Shohei Ohtani in December 2023, the Los Angeles Dodgers have committed over $2 billion to payroll. But it was the latest signing in the running – Kyle Tucker for a cool $240 million spread over just four years – that grew the frustration throughout Major League Baseball.

But that's not the case with Commissioner Rob Manfred, who in an appearance on WFAN Sports Radio, Manfred gave credit to the California outfit for its on-field performance and ability to generate revenue while operating within the structures of the current collective bargaining agreement.

I admire what the Dodgers organization has accomplished on both sides of the spectrum. They've done a phenomenal job on the revenue side and they've made great decisions on the baseball side. And bringing those two together is harder than you might think. And all within the rules.

While the Dodgers' aggressiveness on the free agent and trade market has become a polarizing topic and fueled the push for an MLB salary cap to be part of the new collective bargaining agreement, there's no denying that they've also contributed to the economic boom baseball is currently experiencing.

In fact, the Dodgers set a franchise record for attendance by surpassing four million for the first time in their history, and MLB as a whole surpassed 71 million in 2025. This represented the third consecutive year of growth for the first time since 2005.

Not to mention that Game Seven of the World Series drew the attention of 27.3 million viewers on the FOX network, becoming the most-watched Fall Classic game since 2017. A game that, of course, involved the Dodgers.

With the players' firm resolve never to submit to a salary cap, we'll have to get used to seeing the Dodgers reach deep into their pockets, and thus contribute to MLB's financial success.

This content was created with the help of AI.