3 absolute Dodgers sunk costs for 2026 that few other teams could absorb

Perusing the Los Angeles Dodgers' roster can be dizzying. The sheer number of stars all under one roof is incredible, and they've become the envy of the league. A lot of that has to do with their massive financial resources, but that's not all.

As good as the Dodgers have been, they aren't without flaws. They've made some bad bets in recent years. Some of those have come at a gigantic cost. Most teams would be crippled under the weight of just one of these misfires, and while Los Angeles has three, it hasn't made one iota of difference.

The deep pockets certainly help, but that's not the only reason why the Dodgers have survived these three sunk costs. The other huge factor is the sheer amount of depth LA has built.

These three players would cripple most teams, but are simply write-offs for the Dodgers

Tanner Scott

Tanner Scott was something of a luxury when he signed his lavish four-year, $72 million contract ahead of the 2025 season. The Dodgers learned the hard way how poorly betting on non-elite closers can go. Scott was so bad last season that his contract has instantly become one of the ugliest in baseball.

Scott might bounce back, though many at this point have already moved on. The Dodgers have, too. How many other clubs would be able to hand out the highest AAV ever given to a reliever to Edwin Diaz a year after signing Scott to an enormous deal? One.

Blake Treinen

Blake Treinen had already been a mixed bag since the Dodgers signed him the first time ahead of the 2020 season. From 2020 through 2024, Treinen had been good for Los Angeles when he could take the mound, though much of 2022 and all of 2023 were wiped out by the righty's shoulder injury.

The Dodgers got greedy last offseason, re-signing Treinen alongside Scott and fellow bust Kirby Yates, in an attempt to build a super bullpen. That didn't go well, and now, in his age-38 season, Treinen looks completely cooked as his spring training scuffle inspired no confidence.

Evan Phillips

A one-year, $6.5 million contract isn't quite as back-breaking as the others, but paying that money to a guy like Evan Phillips, who is recovering from Tommy John surgery and might not be able to contribute at all, or contribute well, in 2026, is something many clubs would turn their noses up at.

But pre-injury Phillips is a big reason why the Dodgers can make the decision to pay guys like Phillips, while also eating bigger contracts like the Scott and Treinen deals. Los Angeles found Phillips after three other organizations had cast him aside, and he had failed to truly grab a big league foothold. They then turned him into a formidable high-leverage reliever. For many, that would make him unique, but not for the Dodgers.

One way or another, Los Angeles has built up a dazzling stockpile of arms. Phillips doesn't need to rush back, Treinen can completely fall off a cliff, and Scott can continue to disappoint because the team has the likes of Justin Wrobleski, Ben Casparius, Edgardo Henriquez, Jack Dryer, and River Ryan, among many others, who they've found in various different ways and can cycle through whenever they need to.

At the end of the day, the Dodgers have survived this because the misfires haven't prevented them from paying a premium for high-end talent after the fact, and their ability to collect and build depth is a true advantage. There might not be a single team that can match them in combining both of these strengths.