One of the more intriguing series in Major League Baseball this week is the Los Angeles Dodgers and the New York Mets.
The Mets come into the three-game series with a 7-9 record (fifth place, NL East), and the Dodgers are 11-4 (first place, NL West). The two NL contenders are known for being among the most aggressive teams in sports in terms of spending, and that will translate into MLB history when the first pitch is thrown Monday.
GettyLOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – OCTOBER 27: Shohei Ohtani #17 of the Los Angeles Dodgers celebrates after hitting a home run against the Toronto Blue Jays during the third inning in game three of the 2025 World Series at Dodger Stadium on October 27, 2025 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)
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Dodgers-Mets Will Make MLB History As Most Expensive Series
ESPN.com made the note earlier on Monday that this will be the most expensive matchup in MLB history in terms of player payrolls. The Dodgers 2026 payroll: $413.2 million. The Mets’ 2026 payroll: $378.3 million.
It’s a battle of two heavyweight spenders.
There are some pretty crazy notes about the payrolls for both teams that ESPN.com writes:
- The Dodgers’ 2026 CBT payroll is more than the bottom four spenders (White Sox, Rays, Guardians and Marlins) combined while the Mets total payroll is more than Chicago, Cleveland and Tampa Bay combined.
- The New York Yankees are the only team besides the Mets with a payroll within $100 million of the Dodgers this season. The Phillies rank fourth in the sport at $312.7 million, which is $100.8 million shy of I.A.
Notably, the Dodgers poached away Edwin Diaz from the Mets this offseason by signing him to an MLB record contract for a reliever, and then signed Kyle Tucker to a four-year, $240 million deal.
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There’s no doubt about it, Major League Baseball is a ‘play to win’ league, and no team has done that better than the Los Angeles Dodgers.
LA’s payroll will likely be the biggest in baseball for several years to come. With names like Shohei Ohtani, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Blake Snell, and Kyle Tucker being with the Dodgers for (at least) the next four years, Los Angeles will be unable to escape the notion that they may be ruining baseball.
It should be a pretty entertaining three-game set between the two large-market clubs.
GettyLOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – APRIL 10: Max Muncy #13 of the Los Angeles Dodgers celebrates his solo home run, to take a 1-0 lead over the Texas Rangers, during the second inning at Dodger Stadium on April 10, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
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