The Los Angeles Dodgers became MLB's first back-to-back champions in a quarter-century, but many around the baseball world see this as a negative.

Since the Dodgers led the league with a $350 million payroll in 2025, a narrative that started to swirl was that the Dodgers were 'buying championships.'

LA was one of three teams to exceed $300 million in payroll, and one of five that eclipsed $250 million (including the Toronto Blue Jays' $255 million). Despite a World Series that dominated television ratings and a Game 7 that was the most-watched MLB game since 1991 , the narrative soldiers on.

Dodgers part-owner and Los Angeles Lakers legend Magic Johnson , however, isn't buying into that reality.

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