By RONALD BLUM AP Baseball Writer
NEW YORK (AP) — The $500 million Los Angeles Dodgers’ thrilling World Series win over the Toronto Blue Jays attracted record international attention for Major League Baseball, affirmed LA’s status as the sport’s best team and drew more attention to baseball’s payroll disparity heading into what is likely to be contentious labor negotiations.
Los Angeles’ 5-4, 11-inning win over Toronto in Game 7 on Saturday night capped a postseason with seven winner-take-all games, two more than any previous year.
Shohei Ohtani is building a case as the sport’s best player ever with his unprecedented two-way performances, captivating audiences outside the U.S. unlike any previous player.
“It just absolutely been the greatest benefit to the game that you can imagine throughout the year,” baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred.
Toronto’s success this year sparked interest throughout Canada, which gave the Blue Jays nationwide support.
Aaron Judge, Bobby Witt Jr., Paul Skenes and Cal Raleigh already have committed to play for the United States in next year’s World Baseball Classic, which is gaining increased interest with each addition.
And MLB is negotiating to send big league players to the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics during an extended All-Star break.
“Players are interested in playing, whether it’s for the Team USA or any number of other teams around the world,” union head Tony Clark said.
The Dodgers are already talking about a three-peat
Minutes after the Dodgers became the first repeat champion since the 1998-2000 New York Yankees, Dodgers star Freddie Freeman said matching that pinstriped power was the next goal.
“The Yankees are three-time back-to-back,” he said, “so we get to use that same narrative next year.”
Those Yankees are among just four instances of teams winning three or more consecutive championships alongside five by the 1949-53 Yankees, four by the 1936-39 Yankees and three by the 1972-74 Oakland Athletics.
Big market spending sparks talk of salary-cap proposal
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts attracted attention after the National League Championship Series sweep of Milwaukee when he yelled to Los Angeles fans: “They said the Dodgers are ruining baseball. Let’s get four more wins and really ruin baseball!”
Los Angeles entered the World Series having spent $509.5 million in major league payroll and projected luxury tax, plus another $6.5 million for pitcher Roki Sasaki’s minor league signing bonus.
Including Sasaki’s bonus, the Dodgers spending for its two World Series title teams totaled at least $890 million. The New York Mets, who failed to reach the playoffs this year after getting knocked out in last year’s NLCS, have spent about $860 million in 2024 and ’25.
In a sign of how much payroll disparity has increased, the Athletics spent less than $150 million over the same period.
Manfred repeatedly has said owners haven’t settled on their labor proposals, but the players’ association is bracing to resist a push for a salary cap. Demand for a cap from owners is what led to a 7 1/2-month strike in 1994-95 and the first cancellation of the World Series in 90 years.
The labor contract expires on Dec. 2, 2026, and bargaining is likely to start this winter or spring.
More Japanese players likely headed to MLB
Following the success of Shohei Ohtani, Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Roki Sasaki, more Japanese players may sign with MLB teams.
Munetaka Murakami, a third baseman and first baseman who turns 26 in February, is expected to be posted by the Yakult Swallows. He hit .273 with 22 homers and 47 RBIs this year, limited to 56 games by an oblique injury. A two-time Central League MVP, in 2022 he hit 56 homers to break Sadaharu Oh’s record for a Japanese-born player while becoming the youngest player to earn Japan’s Triple Crown.
Kazuma Okamoto, a 29-year-old third baseman and first baseman. will be posted by the Yomiuri Giants. He has 248 homers in 11 Central League seasons, hitting 30 or more from 2018-23.
Tatsuya Imai, a 27-year-old right-hander, could be posted by the Seibu Lions. He struck out 17 against Yokohama on June 17, breaking Daisuke Matsuzaka’s prior team record of 16 from 2004.
Here come the robots
Game 7 of the World Series was MLB’s last with human umpires making all ball/strike calls.
Starting next season, the Automated Ball/Strike System will be installed in all big league ballparks and batters, catchers and pitchers will be able to appeal decisions to a high-tech system of cameras tracking each pitch and judging whether it crossed home plate within the strike zone.
Each team has the ability to challenge two calls per game and a team retains its challenge if successful, similar to the regulations for video review, which has been in place for many calls since 2014. Teams that exhaust their challenges get one additional challenge in each extra inning
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