There are 4 teams left in MLB’s postseason. Who ultimately prevails could say a lot about the league’s future

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This year’s National League Championship Series (NLCS) rematch between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Milwaukee Brewers holds heavy stakes – for the two teams, and potentially the future of MLB .

The high-priced Dodgers are setting their sights on becoming only the fifth team to ever three-peat while thrifty Milwaukee’s out for redemption on the way to their franchise’s second World Series appearance. The rest of the league is watching closely to see how the battle of payrolls shakes out.

It’s no secret that the Dodgers have spared no expense in assembling one of baseball’s most-envied rosters. In just the last two years, the team won back-to-back championships and ranked among the league’s top three most expensive payrolls. Back in the NLCS this year, LA is the second-highest payroll in all of Major League Baseball, spending about $338 million.

The Dodgers’ Midwestern opponent sits in the bottom half of the league when it comes to spending. With about $143 million on the books, the Brewers rank 19th in payroll.

Before Game 1 of the NLCS was played, Brewers general manager Matt Arnold was asked about the premise of small market teams like Milwaukee not being able to compete with powerhouse franchises like Los Angeles and the two teams in New York.

“Nobody here is worried about that right now,” Arnold answered. “We’re focused on trying to win, and I think we have for a while. Regardless of what the economics look like, the guys in there believe, and so do I.”

It makes sense for them to believe. Going into Wednesday’s Game 3, the Brewers have a commanding 2-0 lead in the series.

With the collective bargaining agreement (CBA) between the league and the players’ association set to expire in December, the biggest topic of conversation surrounding upcoming negotiations has been the league’s proposal to implement a salary cap and floor. It’s a potentially monumental shift for MLB, the only major American sports league without a salary cap.

Front offices with wealthier owners would no longer be able to throw the bag at players with no regard for the bottom line (aside from the league’s luxury tax). Stars would be spread out more evenly across the league. Scouting and developmental programs would become overwhelmingly vital overnight. A salary cap would introduce a fundamental change to the way teams are built.

And three of the four teams remaining in the postseason might just be giving the rest of the league the blueprint on how to do it.

While the Dodgers’ deep pockets have come with consistent success, this year might prove that teams don’t need to break the bank to build World Series-ready rosters. After the Brewers’ two wins to open the NLCS, the Dodgers trail in a postseason series for the first time since 2024. But it’s not just the cost-effective top-seeded team in the National League that Los Angeles needs to worry about – the American League has two thrifty contenders that could also pose a threat to the defending champions’ reign.

The Cleveland Guardians advanced to the ALCS while spending just over $74 million, ranking dead last in payroll league wide. The fourth team in World Series contention, the Tampa Bay Rays, stands just above the Guardians in payroll at 25th, with about $98 million on the books.

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Prior to the first game of the ALCS, Guardians manager Stephen Vogt praised the Tampa Bay and Cleveland general managers respectively.

“Eric Neander and Chris Antonetti are two of the best people in baseball,” Vogt said. “And they’re really good at what they do – and building teams very differently than some of the teams around the league.”

The three non-Dodgers teams remaining in the postseason all spent less than half of what LA did on its personnel. The Brewers’, Guardians’ and Rays’ total salaries combined ($315 million) still come out to less than the Dodgers’ $338 million.

With a possible salary cap coming, teams might be looking closely at the other three going forward rather than the Dodger way.

Throughout the year, these frugal teams have accomplished quite a bit while matching up against the league’s high rollers. The Brewers finished the season with the best record among all 30 teams, entering the postseason with 103 regular-season wins. The Rays had the best record in the American League. The bargain Guardians clinched the American League Central title and earned a bye in the playoffs.

Meanwhile, this year has seen some pricey teams peter out early. The most expensive team in baseball, the New York Mets, didn’t see the postseason this year. The fifth-highest payroll, the Toronto Blue Jays – seen as serious competitors for the AL East title – saw their season end before October. The New York Yankees, the third-most expensive team in the league and a trendy pick to win the World Series, were swept by the Rays in the ALDS.

The Brewers, Rays and Guardians aren’t the flashiest of teams. They don’t primarily rely on big-name sluggers but rather believe in the kind of analytics that lead to the front office emphasizing players with contact skills that put the ball in play. Fundamental fielding, smart baserunning and the entire roster, top to bottom, are necessary for their success.

“Good teams do not rely on just one or two people,” Tampa Bay Rays manager Kevin Cash said after their Game 2 ALDS win against the Yankees. “We rely on all nine in the lineup, the guys on the bench and certainly our entire pitching staff.”

So far, it’s translated to wins.

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今年洛杉矶道奇队和密尔沃基酿酒人队之间的国家联盟冠军系列赛（NLCS）重赛意义重大——对于两支球队而言，甚至可能关系到美国职业棒球大联盟的未来。

高薪的道奇队志在成为史上第五支三连冠的球队，而精打细算的酿酒人队则渴望救赎，力争队史第二次闯入世界大赛。联盟其他球队都在密切关注这场薪资大战的最终结果。

道奇队不惜重金打造棒球界最令人艳羡的阵容，这已是公开的秘密。仅在过去两年，他们就连续两年夺得总冠军，并且球队薪资总额位列联盟前三。今年重返国联冠军赛的道奇队，薪资总额高达约3.38亿美元，位居大联盟第二。

道奇队的中西部对手酿酒人队在薪资支出方面位列联盟后半段。酿酒人队的账面总支出约为1.43亿美元，排名联盟第19位。

在 NLCS 第一场比赛开始前，酿酒人队总经理马特·阿诺德被问及像密尔沃基这样的小市场球队无法与洛杉矶和纽约的两支强队竞争这一前提。

“现在没人担心这个，”阿诺德回答说。“我们专注于赢球，而且我认为我们已经赢了一段时间了。不管经济形势如何，队里的伙计们都相信我们能赢，我也一样。”

他们的这种想法合情合理。截至周三的第三场比赛，酿酒人队在系列赛中以2-0领先。

由于联盟与球员工会之间的集体谈判协议（CBA）将于12月到期，即将到来的谈判中最受关注的话题是联盟提出的实施工资帽和工资下限的方案。对于美国职业棒球大联盟（MLB）来说，这可能是一项意义重大的变革，因为MLB是美国唯一一个没有工资帽的主要体育联盟。

财力雄厚的球队老板将无法再像以前那样肆意挥霍金钱签下球员，而应承担一定的经济压力（联盟的奢侈税除外）。球星的分布将更加均衡。球探和培养计划的重要性将一夜之间凸显。工资帽制度将从根本上改变球队的组建方式。

而季后赛剩下的四支球队中的三支，或许正在为联盟其他球队树立成功的榜样。

虽然道奇队财力雄厚，战绩斐然，但今年或许会证明，球队并不需要倾家荡产才能打造一支足以冲击世界大赛的阵容。在酿酒人队连赢两场国联冠军赛后，道奇队自2024年以来首次在季后赛系列赛中落后。然而，洛杉矶道奇队需要担心的不仅仅是国联中这支性价比极高的头号种子球队——美联也有两支精打细算的竞争者，他们同样有可能对卫冕冠军构成威胁。

克利夫兰守护者队以略高于7400万美元的薪资支出晋级美联冠军赛，在全联盟薪资排名垫底。排名第四、有望争夺世界大赛冠军的坦帕湾光芒队，薪资排名联盟第25位，仅比守护者队高出约9800万美元。

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在美联冠军赛第一场比赛之前，卫士队主教练斯蒂芬·沃格特分别称赞了坦帕湾光芒队和克利夫兰印第安人队的总经理。

沃格特说：“埃里克·尼安德和克里斯·安东内蒂是棒球界最优秀的两个人。他们非常擅长自己的工作——而且他们组建球队的方式与联盟中其他一些球队截然不同。”

除了道奇队之外，季后赛中剩下的三支球队在人员方面的支出都不到洛杉矶道奇队的一半。酿酒人队、守护者队和光芒队的总薪资（3.15亿美元）仍然低于道奇队的3.38亿美元。

如果工资帽真的要来了，各队未来可能会更关注其他三支球队，而不是像道奇队那样。

全年来看，这些精打细算的球队在与联盟豪门球队的较量中取得了相当不错的成绩。酿酒人队以30支球队中最佳战绩结束了常规赛，以103场常规赛胜利进入季后赛。光芒队则拥有美联最佳战绩。而这支物美价廉的球队——圣路易斯守护者队——则锁定了美联中区冠军，并直接晋级季后赛。

与此同时，今年一些身价不菲的球队却早早出局。棒球界身价最高的球队纽约大都会队今年甚至没能进入季后赛。薪资排名第五的多伦多蓝鸟队——被视为美联东区冠军的有力争夺者——也在十月之前就结束了赛季。而身价排名第三的纽约扬基队，作为世界大赛的夺冠热门，却在美联分区系列赛中被坦帕湾光芒队横扫出局。

酿酒人队、光芒队和守护者队并非最耀眼的球队。他们并不主要依靠明星强棒，而是信奉数据分析，因此管理层更注重那些击球技巧娴熟、能将球打进场内的球员。扎实的基本功、巧妙的跑垒以及整个球队从上到下的整体实力，都是他们取得成功的必要条件。

“优秀的球队不会只依赖一两个人，”坦帕湾光芒队主教练凯文·卡什在球队赢得美联分区系列赛第二场对阵扬基队的比赛后说道，“我们依靠的是首发阵容中的九名球员、替补席上的球员，当然还有我们所有的投手。”

目前来看，这都转化为了胜利。