The Dodgers splurged $400 million to assemble a "cosmic battleship," with Padres star Machado declaring: I freaking love it.

San Diego Padres star Manny Machado publicly backs the Los Angeles Dodgers’ heavy investment, saying it’s “beneficial for baseball” and stressing that a salary cap should not be established. With labor talks looming, the salary cap debate has resurfaced as a league-wide focus.

Padres star Machado openly endorses rival Dodgers’ strategy, calling their massive spending “good for baseball” and believing all 30 teams should follow suit rather than trying to limit their expenditures.

The Dodgers launched another spending spree this offseason, raising their payroll to about $400 million and shocking the league by signing free agent star Kyle Tucker to a 4-year, $240 million deal. In contrast, the Padres have only added Germán Márquez, Griffin Canning, and Nick Castellanos recently, with most of Castellanos’ $20 million salary still paid by Philadelphia, showing a more conservative approach.

Responding to critics accusing the Dodgers of “buying championships,” Machado said: “I freaking love this approach. Every team should do it because it’s good for the sport.” He added, “I believe every team has the ability, it just depends on whether they want to.”

In recent years, the Padres have also been a powerhouse, spending $300 million to sign Machado himself, $340 million to extend Fernando Tatis Jr., and $280 million on Xander Bogaerts. However, San Diego’s current payroll ranks sixth in the league, still about $150 million behind the Dodgers.

With labor negotiations set for next month, the salary cap system has once again become a central issue. MLB remains the only major North American pro sport without a salary cap, and the Dodgers’ continuous heavy spending has intensified the debate.

Machado has made his stance clear against a salary cap: “There shouldn’t be a salary limit. The league has made a lot of money in recent years and grown well. Many teams can do what the Dodgers are doing.” He said, “Everyone can do it; it just depends on if they want to.”

Dodgers GM Brandon Gomes responded that the team focuses on strengthening and competing for championships, ignoring outside opinions: “The way to prove it is by winning titles. We just want the team to improve every year.”