The underdogs need to step it up.
I suppose it’s not technically correct to call the Mets the underdogs. After all, they have the top payroll in the game. While exact numbers vary depending on your source, according to the AP, it’s $332 million, which is a startling $66 more than the Dodgers who are all the way down (relatively…) at $266 million. The bulk of that gap is for men not even on New York’s roster any longer. They are paying almost $56 million for players to play elsewhere: $25m to Justin Verlander, $20.8m to Max Scherzer, and $9.5m to James McCann. That’s part of why having resources matter. It’s not just about getting players like Ohtani. It’s not being stopped by bad contracts. Contrast the D-backs and Jordan Montgomery.
- Yankees @ Guardians (2-0), 2:08 pm, TBS
- Dodgers @ Mets (2-1), 5:08 pm, FOX