Fastball

Matchup Between Los Angeles Dodgers, Miami Marlins Set to Make MLB History

When the Los Angeles Dodgers host the Miami Marlins on Monday, it will mark the largest discrepancy in payrolls in a showdown between two MLB teams.

Sam Connon

Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers designated hitter Shohei Ohtani (17) and shortstop Mookie Betts (50) head off the field following the game against the Colorado Rockies at Dodger Stadium.
Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers designated hitter Shohei Ohtani (17) and shortstop Mookie Betts (50) head off the field following the game against the Colorado Rockies at Dodger Stadium. / Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images
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Monday's showdown between the Los Angeles Dodgers and Miami Marlins will be the pinnacle of the haves versus the have-nots.

The Dodgers, still fresh off winning the World Series last fall, have the third-best winning percentage in baseball. The Marlins, on the other hand, are sitting in last in the NL East with the second-worst run differential in the National League.

The differences extend beyond the standings, though.

Los Angeles has a total payroll of $326 million this season, leading the league in that regard, plus an estimated competitive balance tax bill of over $150 million. The Marlins are far from a luxury tax payer, carrying the smallest payroll figure in the league at $69 million.

As noted by The Athletic, the estimated $406.5 million payroll gap between the two teams is believed to be the largest ever. For context, the New York Yankees' payroll was only $85 million higher than the Oakland Athletics in 2002.

Having stars like Shohei Ohtani, Mookie Betts, Freddie Freeman, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Blake Snell, Tyler Glasnow, Will Smith, Clayton Kershaw and Teoscar Hernández is going to lead to a high payroll figure, even if a lot of those players agreed to significant salary deferrals. The Dodgers are carrying 13 players with eight-figure salaries, five of whom are making at least $20 million in 2025.

The Marlins' highest-paid player is Sandy Alcántara, who is due $17.3 million this season. Jesús Sánchez ranks second at $4.5 million, while Cal Quantrill is their only other player making more than $2 million.

If he were on the Dodgers, Alcántara's salary would rank No. 7. Sánchez's would rank No. 21.

Alcántara and Quantrill are projected to take the mound Tuesday and Wednesday, respectively. Edward Cabrera will draw the start Monday, facing off against Dustin May.

First pitch from Dodger Stadium is scheduled for 10:10 p.m. ET.

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Sam Connon
SAM CONNON

Sam Connon is a staff writer covering baseball for “Fastball on SI.’’ He previously covered UCLA Athletics for On SI’s All Bruins site, and is a UCLA graduate, with his work there as a sports columnist receiving awards from the College Media Association and Society of Professional Journalists. Connon also wrote for On SI’s New England Patriots site, Patriots Country, and he was on the Patriots and Boston Red Sox beats at Prime Time Sports Talk. Sam lives in Boston.