A Look at LA Dodgers’ $1 Billion Free Agency Gamble and Why It May Not Be Enough to Win a Championship

All that glitters might not be gold but it sure is great to shine. That’s what the Los Angeles Dodgers fans must be thinking. Their team has spent over $1 billion this offseason and signed stars like Shohei Ohtani and future superstar Yoshinobu Yamamoto. It is a cause for celebration because it presents endless opportunities, but does it guarantee success for the Dodgers in 2024?

After the humungous spending, the Dodgers’ payroll has climbed up the upper echelon of the league. But in a year when one of the World Series finalists was Arizona Diamondbacks, a team that has never compared to top people others in payroll, does this spending matter?

Success still isn’t a guarantee for Los Angeles Dodgers

MLB insider Joe Pompliano said on an X post “MLB’s top 3 spending teams last year — the Mets, Yankees, and Padres — all missed the playoffs and the 100-win Dodgers of 2023 got swept by an 84-win Diamondbacks team in the playoffs”. Indeed, big spending doesn’t guarantee success. Especially in an uncertain sport like baseball.

The Dodgers can attest to that fact as last season after a fantastic regular season, a series of injuries depleted their pitching rotation. As a result, the club lost the NLDS to the eventual World Series runner-up D-backs. This is an all too common occurrence in baseball, one that the Dodgers will hope to avoid in 2024.

At the same time, 2023’s highest payrolled teams – New York Yankees, New York Mets, and San Diego Padres missed the playoffs. Even after having the biggest payroll in baseball history, the Mets finished their season with barely 75 wins. To say that fans were disappointed is an understatement.

Watch This Story: The Japanese Sensation Shohei Ohtani Donned The Dodgers Jersey To Set Social Media On Fire

Injuries and loss of form were a common theme in all three teams. Most of the Yankees’ hitting lineup went terribly out of form at crucial times. While the Padres had perhaps the unluckiest of seasons. All of this should make the Dodgers worry, especially as they still have a chink in their armor – pitching.

The Blue Crew’s pitching troubles

Although the Dodgers have acquired Yamamoto and Tyler Glasnow, their bullpen troubles aren’t over yet. Yamamoto needs time to adjust and Glasnow has injury problems. So there’s a huge chance that the team might have to depend on the same lineup that made them lose the 2023 NLDS.

Could we see the Dodgers make even more deals to fill this gap? The Boys in Blue can’t possibly have more space in their payroll. As a result, things are still on shaky ground for the LA-based franchise. 

Read more: Billion Dollar Band-Aid? Los Angeles Dodgers’ Spending Spree After Horrific ALDS Loss to Underdog Diamondbacks