Every October, the MLB playoffs heat up, and everyone is invested on who will bring home the Commissioner’s Trophy. Most people wonder if it will be the teams that open their checkbooks the widest, or those that rely on smart decision making, investments, and management that will make history.
While money certainly helps, it’s good team management — not excessive spending — that matters most for making a deep playoff run.
The temptation to expect the champion to be big spenders like the Dodgers and Yankees makes sense. They repeatedly appear in the playoffs and both are in the top 5 for spending money on their team payroll.
“History is filled with examples of high-spending teams that came short in October,” said OH senior Nate Muellner.
Or failed to make the postseason entirely. It turns out, spending money doesn’t guarantee chemistry, clutch performances, or random injuries.
A good example of a team that has turned their playoff drought around recently has been the Chicago White Sox. They finished with 41 wins and 121 loses in 2024. “One of the worst records ever recorded in the MLB,” said Muellner. After that season, the White Sox hired a new manager Will Venable who has been setting them the building blocks for success.
A big key to that success has been the recent pickups of potential superstars the White Sox have made.
“Murakami has been a key factor to the success this year,” said Muellner.
These pickups allowed the White Sox to fill the holes they needed to in their team and become a true competitor without spending all the money to buy an already established superstar that will spike their team payroll.
“Spending more money basically guarantees an automatic deep playoff run,” said OH senior Gavin Lustig.
The Los Angeles Dodgers have won three championships in the past 6 years, while also having the most expensive roster of any sports team in the world.
The Dodgers spent approximately $515 million on player payroll and taxes in 2025 and won their second consecutive World Series. “More money can provide a major competitive advantage,” said Lustig.
Nevertheless, spending money alone cannot guarantee a championship. Expensive players can under perform, suffer injuries or struggle under postseason pressure. Money also cannot replace effective scouting, player development or quick in-game decisions. Teams must still identify their weaknesses, build chemistry and use their rosters wisely.
For example, the 2026 New York Mets had an estimated payroll of $357 million, second only to the Dodgers’. Injuries to star players such as Juan Soto and Francisco Lindor, two of the team’s highest-paid players, severely hurt their season. The Mets finished last in the National League East with a 74-88 record and never had a realistic shot at the playoffs.
Ultimately, good team management matters more than excessive spending when making a run in the MLB playoffs. Financial resources can help a team acquire talent, but management determines how effectively that talent is developed and used.
The most successful organizations understand that winning is not simply about having the most expensive roster. It is about making the right decisions when the stakes are highest.
