Once again, the Los Angeles Dodgers made a quick and decisive attack. Even after making multiple deals this offseason, president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman and general manager Brandon Gomez remained proactive. That aggressive attitude continued Sunday, when they signed reliever Tanner Scott to a four-year, $72 million contract. After the deal, ESPN’s Jeff Passan took to X (formerly Twitter) to refute the Dodgers’ luxury tax bill.
“If the Tanner Scott deal becomes official, the Dodgers’ luxury tax payroll in 2025 will exceed $375 million,” Passan posted on his social media platform. “That’s about $70 million more than the next highest team, Philadelphia. The Yankees are the only other team expected to have a CBT salary of more than $300 million.”
A salary of about $400 million is an impressive figure. The money will go to countless stars, from shortstop Mookie Betts and first baseman Freddie Freeman to recent deals like bringing back outfielder Teoscar Hernandez and adding Scott to the bullpen. . The Dodgers have an overwhelming depth of depth and are aiming to build a team that can withstand any injury concerns. In some ways, that depth was a big reason they won their eighth title in franchise history. Will it bring a ninth title to Dodger Stadium?
Dodgers aim for consecutive championship in 2025
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From a depth standpoint, Los Angeles certainly has coverage on the field. In the outfield, a variation of Michael Conforto, Chris Taylor, Andy Pages, Tommy Edman, or Hernandez could start. The infield includes Betts, Freeman, Max Muncy, Hye-sung Kim, Miguel Rojas, Edman, and Taylor. Not to mention the players who come through the minor league system, including those waiting in Triple-A. They also add Blake Snell and Aki Sasaki, who are two of the top starters on the market, and could be the best Japanese pitcher of all time if their performances in the majors are evaluated.
It was a very strong validation for Friedman and the rest of the Dodgers, even if Scott is the last addition for the team this offseason. Their team has gotten even hungrier since winning the title last year, and is now deeper and perhaps more dangerous. Will all the offseason activity lead to back-to-back world championships in Tinseltown? It certainly wouldn’t be wise to bet against the Dodgers. Especially in 2025.
