Andrew Friedman, Dodgers president of baseball operations, has spoke out multiple times this past week in support of the Dodgers spending

Andrew Friedman, Los Angeles Dodgers president of baseball operations, isn’t giving into the noise.

For most of the offseason — and especially since the Dodgers signed outfielder Kyle Tucker — many baseball fans and even the owners have expressed frustration with the Dodgers spending, with many calling for a salary cap and anticipating a lockout after the 2026 season. Despite this, Friedman has defended the Dodgers multiple times this week.

“I am obviously biased, but I think it is an incredibly lazy narrative,” Friedman said on the Foul Territory podcast. “If you look back 13 years ago, the Dodgers filed for bankruptcy. This is just a really, really strong organization right now where our fan support is incredible, and so the feeling that our ownership group has is we have to fulfill our side of this and reward our incredible fans.”

Andrew Friedman says the narrative that the Dodgers are ruining baseball is incredibly lazy. pic.twitter.com/v7UuYDlGCv

— Foul Territory (@FoulTerritoryTV) February 20, 2026

The Dodgers have won back-to-back World Series with the highest payroll in the MLB. The team has the most contracts of at least $100 million with eight, including: Tucker, DH/RHP Shohei Ohtani, LHP Blake Snell, RHP Tyler Glasnow, RHP Yoshinobu Yamamoto, SS/OF Mookie Betts, 1B Freddie Freeman and C Will Smith.

The Dodgers’ payroll was $328 million in 2024, $404 million in 2025 and estimated to be $394 for 2026. Two other teams have a payroll of at least $300 million — the New York Mets and $308 million and New York Yankees at $364 million —, while seven teams have. less than $100 million.

Friedman said if the money wasn’t going to the players, then it would just go back into the owner Mark Walter’s pocket.

“The counterpoint to us having an aggressive payroll is the people who are upset by it just want our owner to pocket more money,” Friedman said on the Dan Le Batard show. “Like, I don’t understand the other side of it.”

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The Dodgers: Not concerning?

That’s Andrew Friedman’s take. pic.twitter.com/aFbh0XQ6C9

— Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz (@LeBatardShow) February 18, 2026

Some players agree with Freeman as Manny Machado, San Diego Padres third baseman, and Bryce Harper, Philadelphia Phillies first baseman, have publicly supported the Dodgers and their spending.

“I love what the Dodgers do, obviously,” Harper said. “They pay the money, they spend the money. I mean, they’re a great team. They understand how to run it. They run their team like a business, and they run it the right way. They understand where they need to put their money into.”