Dodgers’ dominance might lead to drastic event that saves Pirates

With the Los Angeles Dodgers taking home their fifth National League pennant in the nine MLB seasons, many baseball fans aren’t pleased with their financial dominance over the league, which has only risen in the wake of Shohei Ohtani's deferral-dependent megadeal in the 2023-24 offseason. Fans of small market teams feel like they are left in the dust.

While owners, such as Pittsburgh Pirates owner Bob Nutting, are more than responsible for the inequality in baseball’s finances, the buying power of the Dodgers is getting out of hand. But with the current collective bargaining agreement expiring after the 2026 season, coinciding with LA's rise, there may finally be momentum towards a drastic change that could save the Pirates.

Many fans at this point are demanding MLB to implement at least a salary floor. Based on the responses from Pirates fans earlier this year, they’re willing to sit out most or all of the 2027 season because of a strike or lockout if it means getting a salary cap and floor.

As of right now, there are currently 11 MLB teams that are spending less than $150 million on player payroll, with all but three teams making at least $300 million in revenue in 2024. The Pirates have been at the bottom of payroll for years now, despite reportedly being one of the most profitable MLB teams, and also receive money through revenue sharing.

For the ones who say that owners like Bob Nutting are the problem, they are 100% correct. Bob Nutting could absolutely spend more if he wanted to. He, along with owners like Arte Moreno (LA Angels), Bruce Sherman (Miami Marlins), the Pohlads (Minnesota Twins), Dick Monfort (Colorado Rockies), Jerry Reinsdorf (Chicago White Sox) and the infamous John Fisher (Oakland/Sacramento/Las Vegas Athletics) have been at the center of many of baseball’s most significant problems when it comes to competitive balance (or in this case, competitive imbalance).

All of them could spend more, operate more efficiently, or both. All of these owners are technically playing by MLB’s rules, as there is zero incentive for any of them to fork out more money than they are right now.

The LA Dodgers' pure financial dominance over the sport may finally turn the tides in the Pittsburgh Pirates' favor (hopefully).

However, the other problem is Nutting, along with many of the other aforementioned owners, plus more who weren’t mentioned, could never, ever come even close to spending the way the Dodgers do. The Dodgers’ payroll is utterly insane. According to Spotrac, their payroll comes in at $585,804,173 after luxury tax adjustment. The second closest is the NY Mets, coming in at $428,072,459, a massive $157,731,714 difference. That is more than 11 MLB teams spent on their payroll in total in 2025. In terms of revenue, the Pirates would go bankrupt very quickly if they ran a payroll like the LA Dodgers do, financed by an ownership group rather than a single owner.

This is why fans also want a salary cap in baseball. Currently, only the Dodgers and the New York Yankees would still be in the black by running a payroll as high as the Dodgers’ is right now. Even the fourth highest team payroll with luxury tax included, the Philadelphia Phillies at $357,253,787, can only be afforded by 16 MLB teams, going by how much they made in revenue in 2024.

The Pirates’ revenue came in at $327 million in 2024. In order for the Bucs to match the Dodgers’ current payroll, they would need to spend just under 180% of their 2024 revenue. The Dodgers’ top 10 highest paid players are making about 70% of the Pirates’ 2024 revenue. This also doesn’t include operations costs, like the salaries for employees (everyone from general manager Ben Cherington, down to the ushers and everyone in between), food for the concession stands, and other basic costs. 

The Dodgers’ complete dominance in terms of both finances and winning hopefully is the final straw that breaks the camel’s back, and lets a salary cap and floor be introduced during the 2027 CBA negotiations. If that happens, the Pirates’ ownership may finally be forced to give the front office a competitive payroll to work with.