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Ultimately, a home run by a $4 million utility man was all the Los Angeles Dodgers needed to set up the most expensive National League Championship Series in history.
On one side, the Dodgers and their $327 million payroll. On the other, the New York Mets and their $324 million payroll. In sum, almost one Shohei Ohtani's worth.
We're getting ahead of ourselves, but only a little bit. The matchup for the National League Championship Series is set, courtesy of the Dodgers dispatching the San Diego Padres by a 2-0 final in Game 5 of the NLDS on Friday.