The National League Championship Series could define the future of Major League Baseball in 2027. Although it may seem exaggerated, the reality is that this seven-game matchup, which begins with the Milwaukee Brewers hosting the Los Angeles Dodgers, will serve as a reflection of the imminent labor battle between MLB and the MLB Players Association.
The Fight for Wage Control
Team owners are seeking a salary cap. If the Dodgers, with their record payroll of over $500 million, manage to win two consecutive World Series, this would strengthen the league’s position to regulate salaries. On the other hand, if the Brewers, who historically have one of the lowest payrolls, triumph, it would demonstrate that success can arise even in the smallest markets, regardless of spending.
The truth resides in an intermediate point, but that is not the ground where negotiation positions are established in what is anticipated as a tough fight to determine the economic future of the sport.
Alofoke Deportes
MLB is expected to impose a lockout on players once the current agreement expires. If the Dodgers win, the owners could intensify their claims for a salary cap, adding to the opinion of those who see it as the solution to the hegemony of teams with large investments.
The players, however, will not budge on their stance against the salary cap, which they have maintained for half a century. The MLBPA has no intention of negotiating if a salary cap remains on the table. The players have already discussed how to deal with possible disruptions in 2027. The Brewers’ victory could strengthen the players’ position, demonstrating that the ability to build a successful team does not depend solely on economic investment.
Brewers: Success Without Big Spending
The Brewers have joined the Tampa Bay Rays and the Cleveland Guardians as examples of success with limited budgets. In the last eight years, Milwaukee has won five National League Central Division titles and has reached the playoffs seven times. With a record of 97-65 this season, the Brewers had the best record in baseball. They achieved this thanks to a unique combination of players.
- Of the 26 players on the Brewers’ roster for the Championship Series, 15 arrived via trades.
- A significant number of their best players arrived this way, including Christian Yelich, William Contreras, Freddy Peralta, and Trevor Megill.
- The Brewers drafted four players.
- They signed three as minor league free agents.
- They brought in two through the international amateur free agency.
- They obtained one in the minor league portion of the Rule 5 draft.
They only had one free agent from the Major Leagues: José Quintana, who signed for one year and 4 million dollars in March. This highlights the MLBPA’s strategy, which supports a team that doesn’t spend on free agents, reinforcing its position: if the current system is damaged by money, how is it that a team that doesn’t spend wins a championship?
Dodgers: The Strategy of the Stars
The Dodgers, on the other hand, don’t rely as much on free agents as one might think. They have acquired the most players through trades, although it’s only nine, and several of them, like Mookie Betts, Tyler Glasnow, and Tommy Edman, play an important role on the team. Los Angeles signed five Major League free agents, including Shohei Ohtani, Freddie Freeman, and Blake Snell, in addition to two professional international free agents and two amateur international free agents. They also drafted five of their players, and completed their roster with an undrafted free agent.
The Dodgers and Brewers stand out for their ability to extract talent from players through systems that value the combination of scouting, analysis, and superior training. The ability to develop the maximum potential of players is key, regardless of budget.
If MLB and the MLBPA could set aside their opposing stances, they might agree that basing an argument on a playoff series is risky. However, this battle is as much about narrative as it is about reality. If MLB seeks a salary cap, it needs evidence, and if the Dodgers become the first team to win two consecutive World Series in a quarter of a century, this would reinforce the league’s position.
The Dodgers are the new Yankees, with more resources and a willingness to spend than anyone. They have won the National League West Division in 12 of the last 13 years and have won championships in 2020 and 2024. Despite their apparent dominance, baseball is not suffering in areas important to the league. Television audiences have increased, attendance has grown, and the implementation of the pitch clock has modernized the game.
This National League Championship Series is baseball at its finest. A well-oiled machine of superstars, at their best, seeking to become the first back-to-back champions since 2000, against a team with a charming and successful style of play. The Brewers have yet to win a championship, and defeating the Dodgers on their way to it would make the story of their triumph even greater.
Despite their higher number of victories, the Brewers enter this series as the underdog, and it’s a fair designation. There will be great baseball in Milwaukee and Los Angeles over the next week, with matchups that make October the most special month of the year. Ohtani, Betts, and Freeman trying to reach Misiorowski’s speed. Chourio, Contreras, and Turang trying to decipher Snell, Yamamoto, Glasnow, and Ohtani. The Brewers’ bullpen against the team that hit fastballs best this year. The Dodgers trying to see if they can trust any reliever other than Sasaki, and the Brewers, who were the fifth-most difficult team to strike out this season, trying to get to the Los Angeles bullpen.
While baseball itself will be undisputed, this National League Championship Series is bigger than the game. Its implications will extend into the future, with an undeniable place in something much more momentous.
