Andrew Friedman fires back at MLB critics as Dodgers push payroll near $400 million

The Los Angeles Dodgers are walking into the 2026 season with a payroll close to $400 million. That number alone has the rest of Major League Baseball talking. Many fans and rival executives believe the Dodgers’ spending is out of control. Others say the system allows it, so why blame the team? In the middle of all this noise, Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman made it clear he is not apologizing. In fact, he pushed back strongly against the idea that the Dodgers are getting unfair help. Speaking on Foul Territory, he defended the organization and its spending model. His comments have once again stirred debate across MLB, especially among smaller-market teams trying to keep up.Andrew Friedman did not hold back when asked about criticism aimed at the Los Angeles Dodgers. He said, “I am obviously biased. I think it is an incredibly lazy narrative… And you look back 13 years ago when the Dodgers went bankrupt, and people don’t remember that. This is just a really, really strong organization right now, with incredible fan support. And so the feeling that our ownership group has is we have to fulfill our side of this, and we have to reward our incredible fans who come out 50 thousand every night.”He was referring to the team’s 2011 bankruptcy under former owner Frank McCourt. After that period, the franchise was sold to a group led by Mark Walter. As part of that time, MLB approved terms tied to the Dodgers’ future local television deal.The Dodgers later signed a reported 25-year, $8.35 billion TV contract with Spectrum SportsNet LA. Because of how revenue-sharing rules were structured following the bankruptcy settlement, a portion of their local TV revenue is not fully subject to the standard sharing formula. Most MLB teams send about 34 percent of their local revenue into the league’s revenue-sharing pool. Reports over the years have suggested the Dodgers’ arrangement lowers how much they send compared to what they otherwise might have paid.Friedman insists that money is not simply profit. He says it goes back into the roster and fan experience. Still, critics argue that this financial edge makes it easier for Los Angeles to outspend rivals.And they may not be done. There have been trade rumors connecting the Dodgers to Toronto Blue Jays pitcher José Berríos. Berríos made 30 starts in 2025, posting a 4.17 ERA over 166 innings. Adding him would give Los Angeles even more pitching depth.For now, the message from Andrew Friedman is simple: the Dodgers believe they are playing by the rules and they are not sorry for spending big.