Manny Machado’s unfiltered Dodgers take is an uncomfortable truth for MLB

There is an incredibly high chance that Major League Baseball goes into a labor dispute, AKA a lockout, following the conclusion of the 2026 season, and it has to do with how teams spend their money.

Many people complain that big-market teams like the Los Angeles Dodgers, New York Mets, New York Yankees, and others are the big spenders in free agency. They couple it with the fact that small-market teams choose to hold onto that money.

The biggest offender of the unwritten rule by the fans is the Dodgers, whose payroll sits at $394 million according to FanGraphs. A salary cap/salary floor will be discussed in the lockout, and it will likely delay the 2027 season.

Manny Machado’s Dodgers take lands like a cold splash of reality for MLB

To many’s surprise, some players are supportive of the Dodgers’ approach to free agency, saying it's good for the game. An even bigger surprise, one of the biggest advocates plays an NL West division rival.

Padres’ third baseman Manny Machado was vocal on the Dodgers’ spending. 

"Every team should be doing it. S— is f—ing great for the game. I think every team has the ability to do it."

Despite playing for a team with payroll constraints in 2026, Machado was incredibly supportive of big-market teams spending more in free agency.

In a way, the Padres are guilty of big spending as well. After all, they have Manny Machado, Fernando Tatis Jr., Xander Bogaerts, and Jackson Merrill all on contracts that exceed $100 million in total value.

What’s even more surprising is that it's coming from Machado, who probably has the most beef with L.A. than anyone else who's currently rostered.

All we know now is that the 2026 chapter of the I-5/SoCal rivalry will be one for the ages. The heat is on for the NL West division title, and both teams are embracing the competition.