Dodgers Owner Makes Surprising Comments About MLB Parity

The Los Angeles Dodgers are the unquestioned villain of Major League Baseball at present time, and to many, the 2026 season is largely is a forgone conclusion.

MLB has not had a team win three World Series in a row since the New York Yankees from 1998-2000. The Dodgers are attempting to become the first National League team to ever accomplish the feat.

While the Guggenheim ownership group has guided the Dodgers to heights previously unseen in franchise history, some within the organization are concerned about the impact of their level of success.

Mark Walter: Dodgers can't always win

According to Bill Shaikin of the L.A. Times, Mark Walter doesn't believe the Dodgers should annually win the World Series.

”Here’s what the problem is: Money helps us win. We can’t win all the time. We’ve got to have some parity,” Walter told me. “So we’ve got to come up with something that will give us some parity.”

Competitive balance has been a hot-button topic since last year. It was a sentiment that became even more of a talking point once the Dodgers won a second consecutive World Series. Although the outcome is what ultimately will be remembered, it's worth noting the Dodgers nearly came up short.

The Toronto Blue Jays had two games at home to win just one game that would've captured the franchise's third World Series title.

And though MLB commissioner Rob Manfred has credited the Dodgers for operating within the constructs of the collective bargaining agreement, he's also acknowledged needing to factor in concerns from other fanbases.

While Walter did not specify how parity in MLB could be achieved, most are anticipating a heated battle between team owners and the Players Association over a potential salary cap. Earlier this year it was suggested the Dodgers' signing of Kyle Tucker would be used as the final impetus for an MLB salary cap.

The union has maintained implementing such a financial structure is a non-starter for them. Time will eventually tell, and until then, Walter and the Dodgers are focused on trying to accomplish their goal in 2026.

They are doing so not with the highest payroll in baseball when calculated by present day value. Due to their use of deferrals and signing bonuses, the Dodgers' payroll for 2026 started at just over $322 million.

By comparison, the Mets' present day value calcuated by MLB is a payroll of $357 million.