The Dodgers showed what it takes to have a successful offseason this winter. It takes a sky-high budget to field one of the best lineups in the league. Reportedly, the Dodgers have a payroll of roughly $321 million going into the 2025 season, second only to the Mets. And that payroll got them the likes of Teoscar Hernández, Tanner Scott, Blake Snell, and Roki Sasaki, to name a few, along with the wrath of the rival fans, too. All of these added up to the Dodgers’ having the reputation of “ruining baseball.” Although the Phillies’ 1B Bryce Harper thinks otherwise.

MLB insider Jeff Passan offered a glimpse of how far LA went to stay ahead in the competition. “The $120 million or so the Dodgers are in line to pay in luxury tax penalties on top of their payroll is more than the projected Opening Day payroll of 10 teams.” 

But Bryce Harper isn’t worried about the Dodgers’ spending spree, unlike many many others! “I don’t know if people will like this, but I feel like only losers complain about what they’re doing. I think they’re a great team. They’re a great organization,” Harper countered the entire narrative right before facing off Los Angeles.

“Losers” might feel harsh, but Harper might have a point here. The onus is on the other teams to spend more and field a better team. It’s not on the Dodgers about why they are spending big.

“Doing everything possible, always within the rules, to put the best possible team on the field,” MLB commissioner Rob Manfred mentioned about the Dodgers.

And well, probably he is right! 

The Dodgers are currently holding the longest winning streak in baseball history for a defending World Series champion to start a season (8-0). When Shohei Ohtani signed a record $700 million contract with them in 2023, the wrath gained momentum. New names like Sasaki, Scott, and Snell joined a stacked roster, giving a boost to that already-existing bitterness.

And this is a lineup that already featured Freddie Freeman and Mookie Betts, two former MVPs. Freeman has a $162 million contract while Betts’ is a $365 million deal. So, yeah, the team has spent a lot. But the cost of it seems to be worth it so far! Isn’t it?

Talking about the Phillies, they, too, are not much behind the Dodgers in terms of their 2025 payroll. In 2024, they had around $250 million in payroll, fourth in MLB, only surpassed by the Dodgers, Yankees, and Mets. Harper, himself, has a 13-year contract for $333 million with the Phillies. And six other players are expected to make at least $20 million in 2025. And they are coming with a 5-1 record to face the Dodgers today.

But despite all the spending and everything else, will the Phillies be able to fend off the Japanese challenge of the Dodgers?

The Dodgers are becoming a Japanese powerhouse 

For Japanese players and supporters, the Dodgers’ West Coast location offers a major edge. They are geographically closer to Japan than any other MLB team. And with the addition of Shohei Ohtani, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, and Roki Sasaki, the Dodgers further strengthened their reputation as a destination for Japanese players, especially after Hideo Nomo arrived in 1995.

Now, they are a team with a sizable Japanese fan base.

The team also had players like Yu Darvish, Kenta Maeda, and Hiroki Kuroda. And well, this Japanese connection is inspiring young talents from the country to join LA. How can we forget how Sasaki’s signing was highly motivated by the presence of Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto: “Being able to play with Ohtani and Yamamoto… I hope to be able to stand side-by-side with them!”

According to MLB analyst Sarah Langs, the Dodgers have 3 Japanese pitchers (Ohtani, Yamamoto, and Sasaki) this year with a projected 150+ strikeouts. All the other 29 teams are struggling to field a minimum of 2. Moreover, their player development system has long been considered the industry standard. The Dodgers have a top-10 farm system, ranking first in drafting.

Then there is “The Lab” – the Dodgers’ year-round facility to help injured players, both in and offseason. The lab’s personalized treatment plan helps major leaguers in better rehabilitation, while giving them “a place to train in a less occupied space than at Dodger Stadium.”

Probably that’s the secret sauce to the Dodgers’ success, and not just the massive spending. Bryce Harper’s statement seems logical, now, doesn’t it?

Now, if they can keep up with the winning streak and get the title again or not – that’s an answer only October can give!