Dodgers' spending edge over Royals, other MLB teams has fans rooting for lockout

Pete Grathoff, The Kansas City Star on Jan 16, 2026

Published in Baseball

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KANSAS CITY, Mo. — A collective groan was shared on social media from baseball fans on Thursday night.

The Dodgers reportedly have a deal in place with outfielder Kyle Tucker, who was the biggest fish in free agency. The contract terms were stunning: four years and $240 million, per USA Today.

That’s $60 million a year for Tucker, who is joining the defending World Series champions.

According to FanGraphs, the Dodgers’ projected payroll for the 2026 MLB season will be $429 million. The Mets are second at $295 million, followed by the Blue Jays at $282 million.

The Royals are 18th on that list with a projected payroll of $146 million. So if the Blue Jays gave the Royals all their payroll money, it still wouldn’t be as much as the Dodgers are spending.

Braves reporter Grant McAuley noted the Royals’ payroll is nearly the same as what the Dodgers will pay to Shohei Ohtani and Tucker.

And there’s this: The Dodgers spent more last season in luxury-tax penalties ($170 million) than the Royals will pay their players this season.

Spotrac noted the Dodgers have $2.11 billion of guaranteed salary, including deferred payments. That dwarfs the Padres ($1.267 billion), who are second on the list. The Royals’ number is $491.5 million.

Dodgers’ financial advantage over Royals

So why can the Dodgers spend with impunity? One big reason is their television deal.

The Dodgers signed a 25-year, $8.35 billion deal with Time Warner Cable in 2013, and the team co-owns the network.

By comparison, the Royals received $45 million in 2024 from their broadcast deal with Bally Sports Kansas City, according to the Kansas City Business Journal.

Following the 2024 season, the parent company of Bally Sports KC voided its deal with the Royals. Bally Sports rebranded as FanDuel Sports KC and agreed to a restructured deal with the Royals, likely for less money.

Now, FanDuel Sports KC’s parent company has financial issues, and the Royals canceled their television deal for 2026. The Royals could agree to a new contract that keeps their games on FanDuel or have Major League Baseball take over the broadcasts.

Staying with FanDuel would likely result in an even smaller payment for the Royals. If they go with MLB, the Royals would be paid only for streaming subscriptions and traditional TV distribution fees.

It’s clear to see the uneven playing field for the Royals and other MLB teams when it comes to local broadcast deals.

But that’s just one massive revenue stream for the Dodgers, who brought in $1 billion last season, according to Sportico.

The Business Journal said the Royals made $57 million in gate receipts during the 2023 season. Sportico found the Dodgers took in $4.29 million per regular-season home game in 2025. That’s more than $347 million for the season.

You can understand why money seems to be no object for the Dodgers.

Fans rooting for a lockout

The Dodgers’ spending spree has done more than stir fury among fans across the game.

A growing number of those baseball fans now appear open to, and perhaps even in favor of, the idea of lockout following the upcoming season.

The MLB collective-bargaining agreement ends after the 2026 season and many fans hope shutting down the game will lead to one or all of the following: a salary cap, salary floor and end to deferred salaries.