BeisbolPlay: Between the Lines – Jan 19, 2026

THE OPENER

Are the Los Angeles Dodgers MLB’s new evil empire?

Coming into this offseason, the idea of Kyle Tucker receiving the highest annual salary in MLB history was at least conceivable. However, having the two-time defending champion Los Angeles Dodgers make the offer seemed too far-fetched, even for them.

Only 10 position players have accumulated more wins above replacement (WAR) since 2021 than Tucker. Three of them are now his teammates: Shohei Ohtani, Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman.

Here we have a star in his prime, with a giant at the peak of his power, and he may not be among the five best players on the roster. For Tucker, it’s a chance to disappear into a forest of future Hall of Famers. For fans of other teams, it’s an infuriating concentration of talent.

In the MLB, only one team can serve as a historical reference to what the Dodgers are experiencing today. And those are the New York Yankees. Not in vain, the last dynasty in the league.

This is the most direct comparison. The Yankees dynasty of the late ’90s was built differently: a homegrown core complemented by veteran superstars and role players with great potential. However, in the early 2000s, the Yankees built their reputation as the “Evil Empire” by continually adding high-profile, high-priced players that other teams simply couldn’t afford.

They had already signed Roger Clemens in 1999, and then signed former Orioles ace Mike Mussina in 2000 and former A’s MVP Jason Giambi in 2001. When the Yankees signed Japanese slugger Hideki Matsui and Cuban ace José Contreras in the 2002-03 offseason, it was Boston Red Sox president Larry Lucchino, who compared the Yankees to Darth Vader and his henchmen from “Star Wars.” “The Evil Empire extends its tentacles even to Latin America,” Lucchino said.

That line endured as the Yankees continued to sign star players: Gary Sheffield, Alex Rodriguez, Randy Johnson, Johnny Damon. The steady stream of stars kept the Yankees in the playoffs, but they didn’t win another championship until 2009, when, immediately after investing heavily in CC Sabathia, Mark Teixeira, Nick Swisher and AJ Burnett, the Yankees won their first World Series since 2000. They haven’t won another since.

Some have looked for analogies in other sports. But baseball isn’t a salary-cap league, so most other North American sports often can’t replicate the aggressive spending of the win-at-all-costs Dodgers. But, even in a world of apples and pears, comparisons have been heard with the Golden State Warriors of the NBA or the Galacticos of Real Madrid in Spanish soccer.

The truth is that the Dodgers, with a mix of aggressiveness/creativity/investment, have found a way to win titles and project themselves into the future.

And yes, the answer to the initial question is affirmative: they are the new evil empire. Of course, nothing guarantees continuing to add titles.

VERSUS

ANDRÉS CHAPARRO (2025-2026) VS ERNESTO MEJÍA (2009-2010)

ROUND ROBÍN

In the history of the Round Robin format in LVBP, only two Águilas del Zulia players have been able to combine 5 or more home runs and 10 or more RBIs in the same year. They are Ernesto Mejía and Andrés Chaparro. Mejía has so far the most productive RR for the Zulians and it was in 2009-2010. However, Chaparro threatens to pulverize such action. In the current RR and with only 10 games played, he already presents numbers that project him above Mejía. Chaparro’s walk-to-strikeout ratio and his averages are in another orbit.

It is the second RR in Chaparro’s career and in both he has hit 6 home runs for a total of 12. For his part, Mejía accumulated 16 home runs in five appearances in that instance.

How far will Chaparro go in 2025-2026? What would be your choice when going to a postseason?

MEJIA CHAPARRO

JJ          14           10

VB          54           34

CA          13          10

HITS       20          19

2B 5 1

3B 0 0

HR           5             6

CI            16          13

BB            5             4

K             11            4

BR            1             0

AVE       .370        .487

OBP       .435       .535

SLG       .741        .974

OPS      1.176     1.509

PRESS ROOM

-In the LVBP, the day left Caribes de Anzoátegui (7-4) as the new leader of the All against All. The “Tribe” defeated the Margarita Braves 8-4 behind a torrid 17-hit offensive. Aldrem Corredor and Antonio Piñero each hit a home run and Diego Infante drove in two runs while going 3 for 5.