Dodgers face heat as Hal Steinbrenner warns $6.9B team is widening MLB’s talent gap

Hal Steinbrenner shared strong thoughts on Monday in New York after the Los Angeles Dodgers won the 2025 World Series in Toronto. The New York Yankees owner said the Dodgers look “far ahead” of other clubs because they keep winning and keep signing top players at every position.

He said their roster of former MVPs, Cy Young winners, and young stars makes the talent gap very wide across Major League Baseball.Hal Steinbrenner also spoke about the Dodgers’ spending power. He said the Dodgers, valued at $6.9 billion by Forbes, spent heavily in the last two offseasons and turned that money into back-to-back championships. He said it feels like the Dodgers “are pulling away from the other 29 teams,” including his own New York Yankees.

Hal Steinbrenner says the Los Angeles Dodgers’ spending and success are creating a gap

During his Monday interview in New York, Hal Steinbrenner praised the Los Angeles Dodgers for staying strong even after long injury spells during the 2025 season. He said the Dodgers “got healthy at the right time” and used their deep lineup to beat the Toronto Blue Jays in the 2025 Fall Classic held in Toronto.Hal Steinbrenner then shared why he is worried. He said, “Of course it’s a concern. They have tremendous resources, and they got the job done.”

He added that the way the Dodgers keep adding major stars makes other teams feel like they cannot keep up.

His comments also added to the common belief that the Dodgers are using money to keep winning championships. Even Dodgers manager Dave Roberts joked before the 2025 World Series began by saying, “Let’s ruin baseball.” His remark showed that the team knows people see them as the strongest financial force in MLB.Hal Steinbrenner was also asked on Monday why the New York Yankees plan to cut their payroll to around $300 million for the 2026 season. He said the club is barely making profits and that high spending does not always bring results. To explain this, he mentioned the New York Mets’ 2025 season, when the Mets had one of the biggest payrolls but still missed the playoffs.Hal Steinbrenner said, “There was nothing low about my payroll and the Mets’ payroll, and look where we ended up.” He said championships come when players perform well on the field, not only when teams spend more money.Also Read: Colorado Rockies Bet Big On Warren Schaeffer As Full-Time Manager After Disastrous 2025 Campaign