While much was made of the Los Angeles Dodgers’ $300 million payroll last season, it’s necessary to keep in mind the exorbitant figure included salaries played to those no longer on the team.
Brian Wilson was designated for assignment in December of 2014 and paid $9.5 million. With a $7.5 million salary, fellow reliever Brandon League suffered the same fate in July.
Dee Gordon’s and Dan Haren’s salaries were paid as part of the trade with the Miami Marlins. Plus, the Dodgers sent $18 million to the San Diego Padres to cover a portion of Matt Kemp’s salary.
All told, the Dodgers were paying just over $85 million by the end of July for players no longer on the team. It was all part of team president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman’s efforts to upgrade the roster and organizational depth.
Friedman and Dodgers president and CEO Stan Kasten have maintained the extravagant spending would not continue, with the 2016 season providing a small opportunity to make progress toward balancing the scale.
According to Bill Shaikin of the LA Times, Dodgers co-owner Todd Boehly recently echoed a similar sentiment, going so far as to say the club may need to get near league average in terms of payroll:
“We’re looking toward building something long-term, and sustainable,” he said. Leading the league in payroll every year, he said, is not sustainable. “I think sustainable is more like the league average,” Boehly said, “plus some, or plus a lot.”
An improved farm system should play a significant role in the Dodgers reducing their payroll moving forward. Joc Pederson and Corey Seager, two products of of Minor-League development, are both expected to be part of the Dodgers’ Opening Day roster.
Pederson was with the club for the entirety of the 2015 season, while Seager joined the club in September.
Beyond the two headliners, the Dodgers have the likes of Cody Bellinger, Jose De Leon and Julio Urias, among others, making headway toward a Major-League debut.
