Andrew Friedman Addresses ‘Dodgers Are Detrimental To Baseball’ Claims

The Los Angeles Dodgers triumphed in the 2023-2024 offseason by securing Shohei Ohtani, landing Yoshinobu Yamamoto, and acquiring Tyler Glasnow through trade and extension. They further solidified their success at the trade deadline by bringing in Jack Flaherty. Ultimately, they claimed the World Series title in five games against the New York Yankees.

It would be understandable for the owners and front office to take a moment to revel in their achievements. Yet, they opted to ink a five-year, $182 million contract with two-time Cy Young award winner Blake Snell. 

Opposing supporters quickly voiced their objections, arguing that the Dodgers stacking talent was “detrimental to baseball,” claiming that a team striving to win undermines the sport. President of Baseball Operations Andrew Friedman appeared on Jim Rome’s show and, predictably, took a contrary stance.

“From the instant I arrived here, we’ve been steadfast in our commitment to the civic duty we hold towards our fans and the collaboration we maintain with them,” Friedman remarked. “I was asked recently following the Blake Snell press conference, ‘how do you feel about other fans and teams declaring that you are ruining baseball?’ Well, we don’t consider that at all; instead, we focus on the obligation we have to our supporters. They attend games every night, show up on the road, and their passion for this team weighs heavily on us to perform for them. Thus, the beneficial cycle between the Dodgers and our fanbase is always top of mind for our ownership, and it’s about persistently reinvesting and striving to create what we envision as the golden era of Dodgers baseball…That’s our goal.”

LOS ANGELES – Blake Snell responds during his introductory press conference as a Los Angeles Dodger at Dodger Stadium on December 3, 2024. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)

Criticism of the Dodgers Should Be Focused Elsewhere

Friedman’s statement embodies what every fan desires to hear from their team’s leadership. Our aim is to win, we honor the dedication of fans who invest their hard-earned money in game tickets each night. We understand that the more we put into the team, the higher our potential returns.

Ohtani did sign a record-breaking contract, and in doing so, Dodgers’ ownership reportedly reaped an additional $120 million from increased endorsements and marketing.

Rather than adhering to a framework that involves developing players who can either enhance the major league roster or be traded for stars other owners are unwilling to invest in, supplementing this approach with strategic free agency signings, and reinvesting gains into the franchise, many teams opt to trade their emerging stars before their salaries escalate.

That’s the true concern; that’s what truly is “bad for baseball.” 

Friedman’s perspective and reaction to the backlash represent the correct approach: “we don’t think about that at all.” Other teams might benefit from adopting such a mindset as well.