Brandon Gomes responds to Manny Machado, Bryce Harper spending comments
PHOENIX — After an offseason in which the Dodgers spent more than $300 million on just two free agents, the two-time defending champions’ lavish spending has undoubtedly been a topic of conversation and consternation around Major League Baseball.
However, when asked about the Dodgers’ record payroll on Sunday, Bryce Harper of the Philadelphia Phillies and Manny Machado of the San Diego Padres were complimentary of the way the Dodgers do business.
“I love it,” Machado told reporters at the team’s facility in Peoria, Arizona. “They found a way to do it. … I think every team has the ability to do it. Hopefully all 30 teams can learn from it.”
Machado spent half a season with the Dodgers in 2018 before signing a $300 million contract with the Padres. That same winter, the Dodgers met with Harper, who ultimately signed a $330 million contract with the Phillies. Harper shared the same sentiment as Machado when he spoke to reporters in Clearwater, Florida.
“I like what the Dodgers are doing, obviously,” Harper said. “They pay the money, they spend the money. I mean, they’re a great team. They run their team like a business, and they run it the right way.”
Dodgers general manager Brandon Gomes, speaking with the media at Camelback Ranch on Sunday, made it clear his organization is not seeking approval from outside sources.
“We’re not looking for external validation,” Gomes said. “Validation is winning championships and building as good a team as possible every year, and all we try to do is get a little better every season, with the goal of winning championships. [Our] The coaching staff, our players, I think, see it that way. Good, bad or indifferent, external elements are something we cannot worry about.
Gomes also credited Dodgers ownership for providing the financial resources needed to help the front office continue to strengthen its roster each winter.
“[We’ve had] incredible support from the owners,” Gomes said. “We have always [been] I’m able to address the needs that will help us win another championship, so I think a lot of it is looking at what’s needed in the squad and what’s available. We were fortunate to be able to acquire guys who fit that very well.
