CEO Stan Kasten Says What the Dodgers are Doing is ‘Good For Baseball’

The expectations for the Los Angeles Dodgers are sky-high in 2024 after bringing in huge offseason additions Shohei Ohtani, James Paxton, Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Tyler Glasnow. These signings (and trades) did not come without a hefty price tag, which called into question the fairness of what the Dodgers have done.

The Dodgers have spent well over $1 billion, which is far more than a lot of other teams can afford. Additionally, they’ve signed multiple stars like Ohtani and Yamamoto, making them resemble an All-Star team.

Still, lots of members of the baseball world and community consider the Dodgers’ move good for baseball, including Dodgers’ baseball executive Stan Kasten.

“I think this is good for baseball,” Kasten said. “The Dodger brand is unique and historic, and now it’s combined with the Ohtani brand, which is unique and historic. People in Japan are telling me that Ohtani is bigger in Japan than [Michael] Jordan was here. His presence is extraordinary. I don’t know who you compare him to, Messi? His presence is extraordinary.”

via USA Today’s Bob Nightengale

Though Kasten has a bias as the CEO of the Dodgers, he’s not wrong. The Dodgers are already one of the top brands in baseball, and bringing in top players to a high-powered franchise only adds eyes to the franchise and MLB.

The addition of Ohtani only increases that. Signing a superstar to a huge deal that will give him a strong opportunity to win a World Series takes the Dodgers already incredible brand to another level.

“I always felt the ideal spot for Ohtani was here,” Kasten said. “I thought it made too much sense. And when we first got the report of what Shohei was proposing (deferring $680 million of the $700 million), we knew instantly this could work out.”

via Nightengale.

The combination of Ohtani, Yamamoto and the Dodgers is truly a great one for publicity. The Dodgers have a huge fanbase in Japan, so signing the two Japanese stars only adds to the connection between the Dodgers and Japan.

Overall, the moves the Dodgers have made not only bring more popularity to their franchise, but continues to help baseball as a whole expand in fan popularity, media attention and international recognition, which is exactly what MLB needs.

Photo Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports

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