Dodgers 'hungrier than ever,' view 2025 as 'unique challenge' - ESPN

GLENDALE, Ariz. — Five years ago, Mookie Betts stood in the middle of a clubhouse here and introduced himself to new Los Angeles Dodgers teammates by basically telling them they needed to master the details in February if they wanted to hoist the trophy in October.

On Tuesday, at the unofficial start of a season in which the Dodgers will face immense expectations, Betts relayed a similar message.

«We can't keep thinking about being champions again,» Betts said on the day many of the Dodgers' players underwent their preseason physical exams. «We haven't even played Game 1. We have to take care of spring training, and then when Game 1 comes, then Game 1 comes. But we can't keep talking about the World Series.»

It wasn't long ago that the Dodgers resembled something like a Greek tragedy — continually fielding star-studded rosters and dominating regular seasons, only to absorb massive disappointment in the playoffs. That all changed last fall, when one of the Dodgers' most injury-ravaged rosters overcame the deep San Diego Padres, dispatched the plucky New York Mets and made quick work of the sloppy New York Yankees to capture the franchise's first title since 2020 — and its first in a full season since 1988.

The Dodgers followed by doubling down on what was already one of the most decorated rosters in baseball history, guaranteeing close to $400 million to nine players: Blake Snell, Tanner Scott, Teoscar Hernandez, Michael Conforto, Kirby Yates, Hyeseong Kim, Roki Sasaki, Enrique Hernandez and Clayton Kershaw, the latter expected to be official by Wednesday.

The Dodgers' competitive balance tax payroll for 2025 projects to be in the neighborhood of $385 million, according to Spotrac, about $65 million more than the