For much of last season, the Milwaukee Brewers looked like a legitimate powerhouse in the National League. Their pitching was elite, the lineup was deep enough to do damage, and they played with the kind of consistency that made them a real threat heading into October. But when the postseason lights came on, the Los Angeles Dodgers reminded everyone why they’re the class of the league - sweeping the Brewers out of the NLCS and cruising to their second straight World Series title.
Now, a few months later, the gap between the two franchises feels wider than ever.
While the Dodgers have doubled down on their dominance - adding All-Stars Edwin Díaz and Kyle Tucker in free agency - the Brewers have taken a more reserved approach. Their biggest move so far?
Bringing back Brandon Woodruff on a qualifying offer. That’s a solid, smart decision, especially given Woodruff’s importance to their rotation, but in the context of what the Dodgers are doing, it feels like bringing a slingshot to a cannon fight.
Let’s talk about the Dodgers for a second, because what they’re doing isn’t just aggressive - it’s historic.
Kyle Tucker’s contract is the latest jaw-dropper: four years, $240 million, with $30 million in deferrals. That gives him a luxury tax-adjusted average annual value of $57.1 million.
To put that in perspective, that’s more than double Christian Yelich’s AAV - the largest in Brewers history. And that’s just the beginning.
Because the Dodgers have already blown past the $304 million Competitive Balance Tax threshold, they’re now in the deepest waters of MLB’s luxury tax system. That means they’ll pay a 110% tax on every dollar spent beyond that mark. Tucker’s entire deal falls into that category, so L.A. will owe an additional $62 million in tax just for signing him this year.
Add it all up, and the Dodgers are effectively spending $120 million on one player - this season alone. That number is staggering.
For comparison, the Brewers’ entire 2025 payroll came in around $123 million. The Dodgers are matching that figure to roster one guy.
This is the kind of financial disparity that makes you stop and wonder how sustainable the current system really is. It’s not about being mad at the Dodgers for spending - they’re playing within the rules, and they’re doing it to win. But when one team can afford to outspend another team’s entire payroll on a single player, it raises some tough questions about competitive balance.
Milwaukee fans have every right to feel frustrated. This is a team that’s been built the right way - strong player development, smart trades, and a front office that knows how to maximize value. But even the best-run small-market club can only do so much when the financial playing field is this uneven.
And yet, despite all of that, the Brewers still might be the best shot the National League has at knocking off the Dodgers. They’ve got the pitching.
They’ve got the core. They’ve got the continuity.
What they don’t have - and what no one else seems to have either - is the ability to spend like Los Angeles.
The 2026 season hasn’t been played yet, and the Dodgers haven’t won anything this year. But the arms race is real, and it’s getting harder to see how anyone keeps pace with the machine being built out west. The Brewers are still in the fight - but the odds are getting steeper by the day.