As the Los Angeles Dodgers begin their defense of their 2024 World Series championship, they appear to be heavy favorites again after an offseason during which they added Japanese phenom Roki Sasaki and left-hander Blake Snell, relievers Tanner Scott and Kirby Yates, infielder Hyeseong Kim and outfielder Michael Conforto.
That's pushed the team's payroll up to a reported $379 million, the largest in baseball history.
However, Shohei Ohtani is still the Dodgers' global superstar, coming off his third MVP award (first in the National League) and becoming Major League Baseball's first 50-50 player.