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Dodgers Reach World Series as Roberts Downplays 'Villain' Role and Spending Scrutiny Mounts

He calls his 'ruin baseball' line a joke, with team leaders framing the payroll as investment in fans.

Overview

  • Los Angeles clinched the National League pennant and returns to the World Series seeking a repeat of its 2024 title.
  • On the NLCS broadcast, Dave Roberts said, “Let’s get four more wins and really ruin baseball,” then later said he was poking fun and does not see himself as a villain.
  • Newsweek cites an estimated $417 million MLB tax payroll for the Dodgers, while other reporting highlights higher overall commitments and more than $1 billion in deferred contracts.
  • President Andrew Friedman defends the approach as serving supporters and performance, with the Boston Globe noting a $177 median ticket price and heavy investment in development and facilities.
  • Opinion pieces revive parity proposals such as a salary cap and even an op‑ed call to contract the team, as examples like the big‑spending Mets missing the postseason fuel a broader competitiveness debate.