p]:text-cms-story-body-color-text clearfix”>
When Walter’s Guggenheim Baseball group purchased the Dodgers in 2012, the once-proud franchise was mired in embarrassment and mediocrity.
Underneath Frank McCourt’s possession, the staff was in chapter. It had not fielded a top-10 MLB payroll three years operating. And it had solely received the Nationwide League West thrice for the reason that flip of the century, seemingly miles away from ending what was already by then a decades-long World Collection drought.
However then got here Guggenheim — making large infusions of money, adopted by a sudden return to rivalry.
Since 2013, the Dodgers have exceeded MLB’s luxurious tax threshold (the closest factor baseball has to a smooth wage cap) eight instances and topped the league in spending seven instances.
They’ve splurged repeatedly on star expertise, from profitable extensions for Clayton Kershaw, Andre Ethier and Kenley Jansen; to blockbuster acquisitions of Adrián González, Hanley Ramírez and Zack Greinke; to the extra not too long ago transformative arrivals of Mookie Betts, Freddie Freeman and Shohei Ohtani.
And in that span, they’ve by no means as soon as missed the playoffs, received their division 11 of the previous 12 seasons, and reached the World Collection on 4 events — lastly breaking via with championships in 2020 and 2024.
“He wants to win,” Roberts mentioned of Walter. “He feels that the fans, the city deserves that.”
Walter’s Guggenheim group has made main outlays past the roster as properly. They invested in what has change into one of the famend farm programs within the sport. They’ve constructed a strong analytics division within the entrance workplace. They’ve made a number of main renovations to Dodger Stadium, upgrading fan areas and the gamers’ clubhouse facility.
There have been moments when the staff has proven monetary constraint, most notably when it strategically stayed below the luxurious tax in 2018 and 2019 — to the chagrin of some followers on the time.
However previously two offseasons, the Dodgers have spared nearly no expense, this 12 months turning into the primary staff in MLB historical past to boast a $400 million luxurious tax payroll.
“The commitment from our ownership group from the minute I got here has been incredible,” president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman mentioned this offseason. “It has always been, ‘Hey let’s push. Let’s go. Lets’ get better.’”
