Warning: Video contains coarse language
San Diego Padres third baseman Manny Machado isn't bothered by how much money the Los Angeles Dodgers spend to make their team the best in baseball. If anything, he's envious.
"I f-----g love it. I love it," Machado told reporters Sunday. "I mean, honestly, I think every team should be doing it. They've figured out a way to do it. Shit is f-----g great for the game."
Manny Machado absolutely loves what the Dodgers are doing. pic.twitter.com/khoexo016z
— Marty Caswell (@MartyCaswell) February 15, 2026
Machado, who played half a season for the Dodgers in 2018 before signing a lucrative long-term deal with the Padres the following winter, would like to see more teams follow a similar model to San Diego's division rival.
"I think every team has the ability to do it, so I hope all 30 teams could learn from that," he said.
The Dodgers ended last season with a payroll close to $350 million, and their projected 2026 payroll is near $480 million when factoring in salaries and the competitive balance tax they'll face.
Meanwhile, the Padres are expected to have an Opening Day payroll of around $217 million.
When asked if a salary cap would be beneficial for baseball, Machado said he's opposed to the idea.
"I think there should not be a cap. I think our game is very good at what we're doing," Machado said, according to Annie Heilbrunn of The San Diego Union-Tribune. "There's a lot of money being made. Look what's going on with the game the last five years. It's been great."
San Diego has finished second to Los Angeles in the NL West each of the last two seasons.
