Kiké Hernández’s unusually serious answer to Dodgers’ place in lockout proves players won’t budge

Despite an injury-plagued season for Shohei Ohtani, 2026 has been a really good year for the Los Angeles Dodgers. After signing Kyle Tucker in the offseason and trading for Tarik Skubal at the trade deadline, they loaded up their roster yet again en route to the second best record in all of baseball. But with the Dodgers painted as the “bad guy” over the last few seasons, the team may ultimately have a major say in the potential 2027 lockout. 

With a total luxury tax payroll of over $420 million, the Dodgers spent more money than the four lowest-spending in the league combined. Not only has that drawn the ire from opposing fan bases, but it puts the Dodgers into the spotlight regarding the Major League Baseball Collective Bargaining Agreement negotiations. The owners are eyeing a salary cap to curb spending. But that’s a concept that players like Kiké Hernández refuse to entertain.     

As reported by Andy McCullough of The Athletic, the Dodgers clubhouse has not been immune to feeling the burn of that ire and the pressure of a potential lockout next season. But that doesn’t mean that the players are getting desperate. Hernández even acknowledged that the guys in the Dodgers clubhouse know exactly how the game is played on and off the field. 

“Whenever things like a CBA come around, there always has to be a bad guy in order for the opposition to want to change things,” Hernández told The Athletic. “And we just happen to be the ones to blame, at this point. Obviously, probably well-deserved, because of the way the last couple of years have gone. Especially with the spending.”

Obviously that spending has paid off for the Dodgers, but does it put them at an unfair competitive advantage? 

Kiké Hernández feels like the Dodgers are doing things the right way 

Outside of the COVID-shortened season in 2020, the Dodgers have not had a payroll under $200 million since 2018. But as we’ve seen with teams like the New York Mets, spending money doesn’t always equate to a World Series title, or even fielding winning teams that can make it to the postseason. 

But with the opportunity to win their third consecutive World Series and their fourth in seven seasons, the Dodgers have spent their money the right way. They’ve made the majority of their acquisitions count and they haven’t taken on too many bad contracts in recent years. The team even boasts a strong minor league system with affordable players like Josue De Paula.  

Granted, the deferred money with Ohtani’s contract is the mother of all workarounds, but they still played by the rules when finalizing that deal. That is something that Hernández feels like every team should be doing. 

“If you own a team, it would make sense that you’re trying to make that team the best possible, in order to win,” added Hernández. “Because if not, you’re just treating the team as a stock. And why would you want to compete against other people if you’re just trying to make money? Sell the team to somebody who actually wants to compete and win.” 

Obviously professional sports are a business. A multi-billion dollar business at that. But at the heart of that business is a game. As Hernández describes it, the Dodgers are just out to win that game and collect another ring. Other teams may lack the budget to stretch their payroll like the Dodgers, but who is most to blame for that?

As of this season, there are just two MLB owners who don’t have a net worth of at least a billion dollars. Bob Castellini of the Cincinnati Reds has $400 million to his name and Dick Monfort Colorado Rockies has a net worth of $700 million. So there is plenty of money to go around baseball. It just comes down to who is willing to spend it in order to win. And winning is something that the players don’t want to negotiate on.

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