It's Time for $251M Dodgers to Go All-In, Not Blow Golden World Series Chance

The Los Angeles Dodgers have the best record in baseball. They own MLB's gaudiest payroll at $251,078,603 million, per Spotrac.

Most essentially, they haven't won the World Series since 1988.

Add it up, and you've got a franchise in win-now overdrive that should accelerate pedal-to-the-floor into the July 31 non-waiver trade deadline.

Sure, the Dodgers could coast. They enjoy a 12.5-game cushion in the National League West and have a 99.9 percent chance of winning the division, according to FanGraphs' calculation. 

Los Angeles has been there and done that, having grabbed four straight division crowns. During that run of dominance, however, the club hasn't advanced past the National League Championship Series. 

Merely getting to the dance isn't enough. L.A. wants to bathe in champagne and confetti.

All this becomes especially important after Clayton Kershaw's injury. The ace left-hander is on the disabled list with a lower back strain and could be out four to six weeks, according to Bill Shaikin of the Los Angeles Times. 

Jae C. Hong/Associated Press

Kershaw missed more than two months in 2016 with back trouble. Cue the alarm bells at Chavez Ravine. 

And cue reports that the Dodgers are sniffing after Texas Rangers right-hander Yu Darvish, including this one from SportsDay's Evan Grant:

"Among the teams the Rangers have spoken to regarding Darvish are the Los Angeles Dodgers. [General manager Jon] Daniels sent a key evaluator to see Los Angeles' Triple-A team on Friday. Center fielder Alex Verdugo could be a key figure if talks were to advance."

Verdugo is the Dodgers' No. 2 prospect, per MLB.com, while Darvish is an impending free agent.

There's an argument for Los Angeles keeping its MiLB chips, particularly with its track record of developing hitters.

The stronger argument, however, says the Dodgers should go all-in.

"Every team in baseball would like Yu Darvish," manager Dave Roberts told reporters, per Bill Plaschke of the Los Angeles Times. "Whether it happens or not, I just can't speculate. It's a fact we would be better with him, as would 29 other teams." 

Kershaw is 29 years old and, as his recent health issues attest, won't be the best pitcher on the planet forever. 

On offense, youngsters Corey Seager and Cody Bellinger are just coming into their own, but key cogs such as All-Star third baseman Justin Turner (age 32) may be at their zenith.

Richard W. Rodriguez/Associated Press

L.A. could also use reinforcements in the bullpen behind closer Kenley Jansen and has expressed interest in Baltimore Orioles stud Zach Britton, per FanRag Sports' Jon Heyman.

As with Darvish, the cost would be steep, assuming the O's are selling.

Imagine a Britton/Jansen two-headed monster buzzing through the postseason, though, similar to the Andrew Miller/Cody Allen twosome that carried the Cleveland Indians to the doorstep of a championship last year.

The Dodgers know all about the doorstep. They lost in the NLCS in 2013, were dropped in the division series in 2014 and 2015 and fell again in the NLCS in 2016.

At some point, you have to get bold if you want to break through. Just ask the Chicago Cubs, the team that knocked the Dodgers off last season and eventually won a championship, partly thanks to a trade that sent top prospect Gleyber Torres to the New York Yankees in exchange for a few months of flame-flinging reliever Aroldis Chapman.

The Senior Circuit is winnable with the Cubs fending off the upstart Milwaukee Brewers in the NL Central and the Washington Nationals hoping to shake their division-series demons out East.

Los Angeles has the best record in baseball. It spends the most, and it's winning a lot.

It also hasn't hoisted a Commissioner's Trophy since the Ronald Reagan administration, and it's time to do anything necessary to change that. 

All statistics and standings current as of Tuesday and courtesy of MLB.com.