3 mistakes the Dodgers made with their money that cost them a chance at a three-peat

The Los Angeles Dodgers have actually won back-to-back World Series titles thanks mostly to historical costs. A full14 gamers on the Dodgers’ lineup are making 8 figures this season, and Tarik Skubal (who is making $32 million general, however $9.5 million prorated after the Dodgers got him) isn’t far behind from making that 15. For referral, the Mets, the group closest to L.A. payroll-wise, ended the year with simply 8 gamers making 8 figures this season. The majority of those offers are ones the Dodgers would validate once again. Even guys who have actually struggled this postseason, like Freddie Freeman, Mookie Betts, Shohei Ohtani and Will Smith, have actually done so much for this group in the last few years that it’s difficult to state the Dodgers need to be sorry for paying them. These 3 offers, however, are ones that the Dodgers must be sorry for offering, now that their three-peat dreams are formally on life assistance.OF Kyle Tucker

This is the apparent one. The Dodgers, even after winning back-to-back World Series titles, chosen to provide Kyle Tucker a four-year, $240 million handle totally free firm. When that offer was signed, most MLB fans almost handed the World Series title to L.A., understanding how excellent Tucker had actually remained in Houston. Rather, Tucker ended up having the worst year of his profession.He slashed.233/.330/.385 with 17 crowning achievement and 70 RBI. He was much better down the stretch and has actually been probably their finest player in the postseason, however he’s simply 2-for-8 in the NLCS. That’s unsatisfactory for a gamer making $60 million a year usually. For recommendation, Juan Soto’s AAV is at $51 million, and he’s carried out at an MVP level. If the Dodgers got to do it once again, they likely would not have actually made this sort of financial investment in Tucker. RHP Edwin Diaz

Tucker wasn’t the only high-end complimentary representative the Dodgers signed. They provided Edwin Diaz a three-year, $69 million offer to be their closer, one year after offering Tanner Scott a four-year, $72 million offer to carry out because very same function. Scott’s very first year in L.A. was one to forget, and Diaz followed that exact same course, publishing an 8.68 ERA in 21 video games and missing out on much of the season due to injury.Diaz was much better in the postseason, however offered how well Scott performed this season and how uninspired this Dodgers lineup showed to be, would not Andrew Friedman have chosen to consider that sort of significant cash to a huge bat? Hindsight is 20/20, however had they understood the offense would look this bad in October, they likely would’ve invested their resources on another bat and let Diaz sign somewhere else.OF Teoscar Hernandez

Teoscar Hernandez had a substantial year in 2024, causing the Dodgers re-signing him on a three-year, $66 million offer that offseason. That agreement made some sense, however handing a power-hitting corner outfielder over the age of 30 a large multi-year offer has the threat of backfiring — and this one did nearly right away. Hernandez’s 103 OPS+ in 2025 was his worst in a complete season in his profession, and while he was a bit much better total in 2026, his streakiness and his numbers versus righties (.695 OPS) left a lot to be preferred.Those battles have actually continued into the playoffs, with Hernandez going 5-for-26 total and 2-for-10 in the NLCS so far. Dave Roberts has actually regularly struck him in the heart of the Dodgers’ order, however Hernandez has actually not had the ability to come through. There’re lots of other gamers making the $20+ million that Hernandez is who might’ve come through for L.A. offensively. With another surefire year on his offer, this agreement seems like another one that the Dodgers remorse.

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