Padres' Manny Machado says Dodgers' spending 'great for the game' - ESPN

PEORIA, Ariz. — San Diego Padres star Manny Machado has no problem with the rival Los Angeles Dodgers continuing to spend on players while his own team and others take a backseat to free agency.

«I f---ing love it,» Machado said Sunday from Padres camp. «Every team should be doing it. That s--- is f---ing great for the game.»

The Dodgers continued their spending spree this winter, pushing their payroll to approximately $400 million. Their signings included Kyle Tucker, the best hitter on the market, to a four-year, $240 million contract.

Meanwhile, the Padres signed low-cost players just this past week when they brought in pitchers German Marquez and Griffin Canning to go along with outfielder Nick Castellanos, whose $20 million salary is mostly being paid by the Philadelphia Phillies.

Machado would prefer everyone spend like the Dodgers rather than see them reined in to try to achieve a more balanced financial playing field across MLB.

«I think every team has the ability to do it,» Machado said. «I hope all 30 teams learn from that.»

As players and owners gear up for labor negotiations to begin next month, many players are being asked whether what the Dodgers are doing — gobbling up many of the good players every winter — is good for the game.

«I love what the Dodgers do, obviously,» Phillies star Bryce Harper told reporters in Florida. «I mean, they pay the money, they spend the money. I mean, they're a great team. They run their team like a business, and they run it the right way.

»… Each team in baseball has an opportunity to do the same thing. Maybe not at the upper echelon of money, but they can draft, they can develop, they can trade. I think a lot of teams can do that in baseball, and they should."

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