LOS ANGELES, CA — The gloves are officially off between the two biggest sports leagues. Los Angeles Dodgers executive Stan Kasten has strongly clapped back at former NFL star Jason Kelce for the retired center’s public comments asserting that the Dodgers “just buy World Series championships.”
Kelce, known for his passionate and often unfiltered takes on the New Heights podcast, threw shade at the Dodgers shortly after they secured their second consecutive World Series title in 2025. Kasten, the Dodgers’ president and part-owner, refused to let the criticism stand, using Kelce’s own Philadelphia sports figures to deliver a sharp rebuke.
Kelce’s Cutting Critique
Kelce’s viral comments slammed the state of Major League Baseball, arguing that the outcome of the World Series was predetermined by financial might:
“You’re telling me I’m supposed to get excited about a Canadian baseball team and a team who just spends more money than everybody else? Who the f— cares about either? That’s why baseball sucks. You just buy World Series championships. It’s the dumbest thing in the world.” — Jason Kelce
Kelce’s remarks reflect a common frustration among fans of small-market teams regarding MLB’s lack of a hard salary cap.
Kasten’s Double-Barrelled Clap Back
Speaking on a recent podcast, Stan Kasten addressed the “buy championships” narrative head-on, delivering a two-part response that defended the Dodgers’ strategy while citing Philadelphia’s own star power.
1. The Historical Fact Check
Kasten first refuted the premise that the highest payroll guarantees a title, pointing to the Yankees and Mets as proof:
“First of all, history demonstrates that’s not true. Usually the team with the highest payroll doesn’t win the World Series. I hate to throw facts at him, but I will throw one quote from someone in his city, and that’s Bryce Harper, who said the only people complaining are losers. I think he’s exactly right.”
Kasten noted that in 2025, the Yankees and Mets also carried massive, near-$300 million payrolls, yet the Mets missed the playoffs entirely, and the Yankees lost in the ALDS. This supported his argument that spending is only one piece of the puzzle.
2. The Development Defense (The Atlanta Model)
The executive went on to defend the Dodgers’ approach as a multi-faceted strategy dependent on development, not just spending:
“What got us to the position we’re in… was because, yes, we had a high payroll. But those people need to be led and developed, and we need to be backed up by a farm system that is productive year in and year out. Without that, we couldn’t compete.”
Kasten referenced his time leading the Braves, pointing out that their dominant 1990s pitching staff (Glavine, Maddux, Smoltz) was acquired through a mix of development, trades, and free agency—the exact balanced approach the Dodgers currently employ.
Kasten ultimately concluded by saying he was “glad [Kelce is] watching,” ensuring the retired football star knows his comments did not go unnoticed.
