Clark remains opposed to salary cap despite Dodgers' spending

MLBPA executive director Tony Clark doesn't believe a salary cap is necessary, even if the Los Angeles Dodgers end up repeating as World Series champions.

"There's opportunities for all 30 teams to be excellent," Clark told reporters Friday, including The Athletic's Evan Drellich. "Some are investing in that excellence, some aren't."

"The issues that we see in the system we know can be addressed without (a salary cap)."

The Dodgers are back in the Fall Classic after an aggressive offseason that included the signing of starter Blake Snell to a five-year, $182-million contract.

Los Angeles' payroll is projected to be a record $415.2 million with the luxury tax included, per Cot's Contracts.

Dodgers manager Dave Roberts quipped that his team was out to "ruin baseball" as criticism of L.A.'s spending resurfaced after the club reached the World Series for a second consecutive year.

"I was just having a little fun with people that said that about the Dodgers," Roberts explained ahead of Game 1 against the Toronto Blue Jays.

MLB's owners have been pushing for a salary cap and are likely to lock out the players when the collective bargaining agreement expires in December 2026.

But Clark maintains that all clubs have the power to spend more on their roster.

"We are provided information," Clark said. "So when I suggest to you that all 30 teams have the wherewithal to invest in their clubs and improve their club on the field, we believe that they do."