The astounding expenditure sent a clear message: The Dodgers, a year after paying a record $169.4 million in competitive balance taxes while winning a second straight championship, are still in hyperdrive and unbothered by the public outcry as they look to extend their window and solidify the club\u2019s golden era, a long-stated goal of president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman.\u00a0<\/p>\n
“For us, we just don\u2019t pay much attention to that because we operate within the rules and do everything we can to put ourselves in the best position both short term and long term,” Friedman said. “And we\u2019re not thinking about more macro things outside of that. It is about, \u2018How can we win as many games and put ourselves in the best position to win a championship in 2026 without really compromising ourselves out into the future and falling off that proverbial cliff? It\u2019s the balance and maintaining of those two things that are our sole focus.\u2019”\u00a0<\/p>\n
Get \u2018Needle Movers\u2019\u00a0<\/p>\n
Avoiding that cliff, in part, requires the infusion of younger pieces.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The Dodgers won it all again last year despite a dysfunctional bullpen and the oldest position-player group in the sport. They addressed the former issue by signing the top closer on the market in Edwin D\u00edaz earlier this winter. The stunning addition of Tucker, a 29-year-old four-time All-Star, helps with the latter.\u00a0<\/p>\n
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Edwin Diaz’s arrival gives the Dodgers the best closer on the free agent market (Getty) <\/p>\n
Ohtani, Freeman, Muncy, Will Smith, Teoscar Hernandez, Tommy Edman are all 30 or older. As is Mookie Betts, who\u2019s coming off his worst offensive season as a big leaguer and is still under contract for another seven years. Possessing one of the richest farm systems in baseball helps mitigate risk, but the Dodgers\u2019 best prospects \u2014\u00a0including a quartet of highly-regarded outfielders in Josue De Paula, Zyhir Hope, Mike Sirota and Eduardo Quintero \u2014 might still be a year or so away from fully contributing.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The Dodgers still could have sat out of the top end of the free-agent market and been the favorites in 2026. Instead, they decided to bridge the gap to their future by targeting “needle movers” \u2014 players who could meaningfully impact their chances of winning another World Series \u2014 as long as they were open to short-term deals at a high AAV.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Convincing a star talent in his 20s to accept those terms represents a significant challenge, especially when those players have longer offers that would set them up for life. The Dodgers understand that, having tried and failed in a similar endeavor before. In 2019, they reportedly offered Bryce Harper four years at $45 million annually, which would have given Harper a record AAV at the time while allowing him to cash in again in free agency at age 30.\u00a0<\/p>\n
But a lot has changed in the years since Harper accepted his long-term deal in Philadelphia. Los Angeles has developed into baseball\u2019s mecca, and the Dodgers \u2014 with three championships over the last six years \u2014 have offered proof of concept for star players looking to win.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Earlier this winter, they got D\u00edaz to agree to a three-year deal when many expected him to get at least four by giving him the highest AAV ever for a reliever. Signing Tucker, the top free agent on the market, presented a greater challenge given the offers the Dodgers were competing against.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Convincing the 29-year-old would require straying from their usual tactics. They included opt-outs after the second and third seasons, a maneuver they\u2019ve generally tried to avoid, and upped their initial offer to try to entice him away from both the Blue Jays, who reportedly offered 10 years and $350 million, and the Mets, who reportedly offered a frontloaded four-year, $220 million deal with no deferrals.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The structure that Tucker accepted, which surpassed the previous present-day AAV record set by Mets star Juan Soto ($51 million), will allow him to cash in again in his early 30s if he wants to seek a longer deal.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Read more: How Kyle Tucker’s $240M Deferred Deal Works<\/a><\/p>\n “Obviously, we started lower,” Friedman said. “I think when we\u2019ve seen these kinds of shorter-term, higher-AAV deals, I don’t think they\u2019ve ever come when they also had a really long, significant deal as well. Not that I can remember. Usually guys take those shorter-term deals because a longer-term deal hasn\u2019t materialized, so it\u2019s a chance to kind of reset and go back out to the market. He had that opportunity.\u00a0<\/p>\n “And so for us, it was about selling the opportunity to play with these guys, to play in front of these fans, to play in this city, to connect with this community. And who knows, it doesn’t mean that it has to be two, three, four years here. It could be longer than that. And I think for him to choose us when he had other longer-term and other shorter-term [offers], I think speaks to the growth and progress that we\u2019ve made in creating a destination spot.”<\/p>\n The Dodgers weren’t lacking in superstar power with the likes of Shohei Ohtani, Freddie Freeman, and Mookie Betts. (Photo by Harry How\/Getty Images) <\/p>\n The allure of Los Angeles is obvious \u2014 great weather, talented teammates, tens of thousands of fans packing the stadium every night, the near guarantee of playing meaningful October baseball. There is also likely a prosperous future ahead, regardless of what happens with the next CBA, as the Dodgers continue to reap the rewards of both the Ohtani-conomy and a lucrative local television deal at a time when regional sports networks are collapsing.\u00a0<\/p>\n “I think this organization is, from the top down, first class,” Tucker said. “The team these guys put together and assembled to give a great product for the fanbase in the city, to go out there and compete for a championship, kind of speaks for itself. Taking all of that into account, wanting to be a part of it, I think it’s very special. You don’t really get that very often.”<\/p>\n Steep Prices to Fix Flaws<\/p>\n While the additions of D\u00edaz and Tucker make the rich richer, they also make sense from a roster-building standpoint. The Dodgers\u2019 two premier offseason signings addressed their two greatest flaws and corrected last year\u2019s mistakes.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n Last offseason, the Dodgers gave Tanner Scott four years and $74 million only to watch the top closer on the market go 1-4 with a 4.74 ERA. He converted just 23 of his 33 save opportunities and was left off the playoff roster. As a whole, the Dodgers bullpen was tied for 20th in both ERA and WHIP. Their ineptitude required the team to use starters in relief to get through October.\u00a0<\/p>\n <\/p>\n
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