Phillies' Bryce Harper Says 'Only Losers' Complain About Dodgers' Spending in FA

Philadelphia Phillies first baseman Bryce Harper had a strong message Friday for those who take issue with the way the Los Angeles Dodgers have built their team.

Speaking to reporters before the Phillies host the Dodgers on Friday evening, Harper said, "I don't know if people will like this, but I feel like only losers complain about what they're doing."

Many observers have criticized the Dodgers and called for the institution of an MLB salary cap due to the amount of spending the organization has done over the past two offseasons, landing the likes of Shohei Ohtani, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Blake Snell, Tanner Scott, Roki Sasaki and Teoscar Hernández, among others.

Harper further explained his stance on the Dodgers, saying: "They're a great team, they're a great organization. That's why guys want to go there and play. ... They're gonna continue to get guys. They're gonna continue to pull guys from this sport. Bullpen, starting pitching, international players, anything like that. They're doing what the Dodgers do."

Prior to the start of the 2023 season, the Dodgers signed Ohtani to a historic, 10-year, $700 million contract with much of that money being deferred until 2034 when the contract expires.

On top of that, the Dodgers signed Yamamoto to a 12-year, $325 million deal, giving them an ace to go along with their superstar hitter.

The Dodgers won the World Series last year, beating the New York Yankees in five games. Much of their regular-season success was thanks to the play of Ohtani, who slashed .310/.390/.646 with 54 home runs, 130 RBI and 59 stolen bases en route to being named National League MVP.

L.A. was already poised to be a top contender again in 2025, and the front office ensured that would be the case by being a major player in free agency once again.

The Dodgers re-signed Hernández, Tommy Edman and Clayton Kershaw, along with signing Sasaki, Scott, Kirby Yates, Michael Conforto and Hyeseong Kim.

During the offseason, it felt as though the Dodgers were constantly active and signing notable free agents, while the rest of the league sat idly by.

That wasn't entirely true, as the New York Mets signed outfielder Juan Soto to a 15-year, $765 million deal, giving them MLB's highest payroll at $322.6 million, which is just ahead of the Dodgers at $319.5 million.

Ultimately, the Dodgers are willing to pay for talent and they have built a team that wins perennially, as evidenced by their 12 consecutive playoff appearances and two World Series titles in the past five years.

The Dodgers are also off to an 8-0 start this season, and if they continue to play at this level, then players will keep wanting to join the organization.