How the 2026 Dodgers Stack Up Against Baseball’s Biggest Superteams

The Los Angeles Dodgers never hesitate to spend big, but their latest reported move? That’s a whole new level. By reportedly signing superstar outfielder Kyle Tucker to a wild four-year, $240 million contract, the Dodgers have doubled down on a roster already packed with elite talent and championship ambition.

Let’s take a look at how Los Angeles has become baseball’s modern “superteam.” There’s a lot to unpack when you start comparing them to legendary dynasties, and the pressure for a three-peat is real.

Dodgers Double Down on Superteam Status

Adding Kyle Tucker isn’t just another splash. It’s a statement.

The Dodgers already have Shohei Ohtani, Mookie Betts, Freddie Freeman, and a rotation full of aces. Now, they’ve separated themselves even further from the rest of Major League Baseball.

Ownership keeps spending, and it’s turned Los Angeles into the league’s top free-agent destination. Back-to-back World Series titles and a payroll that dwarfs most teams? That’s the result.

Kyle Tucker Joins an All-Star Core

Tucker’s reported $240 million deal puts him right alongside the game’s biggest stars. Honestly, the Dodgers’ everyday lineup and pitching staff look like an All-Star team that someone just threw together for fun.

Key stars anchoring the roster include:

  • Shohei Ohtani
  • Mookie Betts
  • Freddie Freeman
  • Blake Snell
  • Yoshinobu Yamamoto
  • Kyle Tucker
  • Payroll Power and Ownership Philosophy

    The Dodgers’ dominance starts at the top. Ownership just keeps pushing, sticking to a long-term, aggressive financial plan that most franchises wouldn’t even dream of attempting.

    They’re chasing championships, not just worrying about balance sheets.

    According to Spotrac, Los Angeles carried a payroll of $353 million in 2024. In 2025, it jumped to $417 million, fueled by more than $1 billion in contracts during that stretch.

    Deferred Money and Long-Term Risk

    Much of that spending involves deferred money and long-term commitments. It’s a strategy that gets plenty of criticism, but it’s worked so far.

    Despite the Tucker signing, the Dodgers’ payroll reportedly dipped by about $4 million entering 2026.

    Historical Comparisons: Measuring Greatness

    When a team dominates like this, you can’t help but compare them to the greats. The Dodgers are now in conversations with some of the most iconic teams in baseball history.

    From Murderers’ Row to the Evil Empire

    The 1927 Yankees, with Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig, had a plus-376 run differential and won 110 games. That’s the gold standard for dominance.

    The 1972 Oakland A’s built a dynasty through drafting and smart trades, turning out multiple Hall of Famers.

    More recently, the late-2000s Yankees under George Steinbrenner got the “Evil Empire” tag. They outspent everyone on stars like CC Sabathia, A.J. Burnett, and Mark Teixeira—and they backed it up in October.

    Modern Superteams Beyond Baseball

    The Dodgers’ current run fits into a bigger sports story. In the 21st century, a few teams have just taken over their eras with talent and deep pockets.

    Los Angeles definitely belongs in that conversation now.

    Elite Company Across Sports

    The Dodgers sit alongside modern superteams like the 2007 New England Patriots, the 2012–13 Miami Heat, and the 2015–16 Golden State Warriors. Each team dominated, changed the competitive landscape, and faced huge pressure to turn talent into titles.

    With greatness comes expectation—and plenty of scrutiny.

    All Eyes on a Historic Three-Peat

    The Dodgers didn’t make many flashy free-agent moves this offseason. They brought in Tucker, closer Edwin Díaz, Miguel Rojas, and Andy Ibañez.

    Still, the roster looks stacked. Shohei Ohtani, Betts, Freeman, Snell, Yamamoto, Tyler Glasnow, and Shota Imanaga Sasaki give them elite talent everywhere.

    Clayton Kershaw and manager Dave Roberts already have legendary status in Los Angeles. The goal now? Take all that spending and make history nobody’s seen before.

    If they don’t win a third straight championship, it’ll sting. This team really does feel like baseball’s ultimate superteam—so why not expect the impossible?

     
    Here is the source article for this story: How 2026 Dodgers compare to some of baseball’s other ‘superteams’

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