The National League champion Arizona Diamondbacks handled the Los Angeles Dodgers the last time they met on the field, in a National League Division Series. Keeping up with the Dodgers fiscally has been another thing.
In the wake of the 10-year, $700 million contract that Shohei Ohtani sighed with the Dodgers on Monday, the Diamondbacks, unfazed, are trying their best to keep up.
Managing general partner Ken Kendrick said the Diamondbacks will enter the 2024 season with the largest payroll in team history as they attempt to build on an 84-win season and the second World Series appearance in their 26-year history.
The Diamondbacks’ payroll was about $143 million last season, among the lowest in the majors, but they already are projected to make about $162 million this season after trading for third baseman Eugenio Suarez and signing free-agent left-hander Eduardo Rodriguez.
“We have more to do, and Mike (general manager Hazen) been given the authority to go make the team better than it is as we sit here today,” Kendrick said.
Adding a hitter appears to be the next major step. Former Diamondbacks outfielder J. D. Martinez, former Dodgers third baseman Justin Turner and former Miami outfielder Jorge Soler among the free agent bats available in a market that is expected to heat up now that the big fish — Ohtani — has been claimed.
Diamondbacks, Ohtani begin 10-year rivalry
Kendrick suggested too much has been made of the revenue advantage the Dodgers will have because of Ohtani’s decision to defer $680 million of his salary.
“The world makes it seem like they have made some incredible coup in gaming the system,” sid Kendrick, noting that a team must place deferred money into a sequestered account to which it does not have access other than to spend the interest earned. “They honestly have not. They are playing by the rules. There is value, but it is being overplayed at this point.”
The Dodgers are about $59 million under the competitive balance tax threshold of $237 million this season in part because of Ohtani’s deferred money, which does give them more spending power. As far as Ohtani and the Dodgers, both Kendrick and general manager Mike Hazen said his acquisition could in some ways benefit the Diamondbacks.
“Actually, I think it is good for us that we get to compete against him,” Kendrick said. “He’s one of nine, and the last I also looked he is a designated hitter. He’s a great player. Is he the second coming? I would suggest not. Would you like to have a player of that talent on your team? Of course, everyone would. We’ll have fun competing against them. We already did have fun competing against them, at least the last time we played.”
Arizona swept the Dodgers in three game in the NLDS.
“The way the season ended, I’m not surprised by anything that they are going to do to go out improve their club,” Hazen said. “This is one of the most competitive divisions, toughest divisions in all of baseball. We are happy to compete in it.
“I think it makes us better, frankly, that we have a division for 162 games we get pushed. I think it helped us in he playoffs this year, frankly. You get beat up in this division quite a bit and then you walk into the playoffs and you’re kind of used to it. So you can take some lumps.
“You can lose 10 to nothing in a road game and come back and win the next day. That’s the way I look at it. I think this division, when all is said and done, is going to again be one of the toughest for us to compete in. That’s great. We’re ready for that.”
Philadelphia beat Arizona 10-0 in to take a 2-0 lead in the NLCS before the Diamondbacks won the series in seven games.
World Series revenue aids to the bottom line
Postseason revenue will help the Diamondbacks to their franchise-record payroll. That amount can fluctuate by market, based on ticket sales and television money. Although exact figures have not been reported, the winning World Series team reportedly has earned about $30 million in the last several seasons. The runnerup was reported to have earned about $25 million.
“We have the good fortune of two things that happened that help us,” Kendrick said. “We’re all about reinvesting the dollars that come in. We haven’t had as many dollars coming in (recently), but our playoff run and the money that it created is a one time amount of money that we can re-deploy in this year and into the future.
“The playoff, we think, will create a greater fan interest and we’d like to think we would have greater revenue streams going into next season, where more people will want to come out and watch our team play.”
Newcomers Suarez, Rodriguez come at a price
Suarez is to cost the Diamondbacks $15.2 million this season, and he has a $2 million option for 2015. Rodriguez signed a four-year, $80 million contract that includes a vesting option that could reach $18 million with a $6 million buyout for a fifth year.
Rodriguez can make $500,000 in each of 2026 and 2027 if he pitches 150 innings. His 2-28 option vests at $17 million with 150 innings in 2027 or 300 innings in 2026-27, and it vests at $18 million with 175 innings in 2027 or 350 innings in 2026-27.
“Could we have done both of those moves without having a playoff run? Perhaps,” Kendrick said. “We sure can do that and more now.”
The Diamondbacks are working to counter the loss of their regional sports provider, Kendrick said, with a hybrid package that includes over-the-air and cable/streaming options. The Phoenix Suns and Arizona Coyotes, who also lost their regional provider, are available over-the-air in Arizona.
The Diamondbacks are committed to remaining in Arizona, Kendrick said, and staying at Chase Field “is the more likely event, but it isn’t a final decision.” The D-backs’ lease requires only that they give a one-year notice to vacate, although there are penalties if the team relocates out of state.
“Well, that’s ain’t going to happen,” Kendrick said. “I don’t want to be ridden out of town on a rail, and with tar and feathers.”
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