`Big Spender' is the theme music for MLB final four as high-payroll Mets, Yankees, Dodgers reach LCS

NEW YORK (AP) — “Big Spender” is the theme music for baseball’s final four.

The New York Mets, New York Yankees and Los Angeles Dodgers are in the League Championship Series with the sport’s top three payrolls, joined by Cleveland at No. 23.

“You have to scratch and claw and match up and make moves, take shots and hope that it works,” Guardians manager Stephen Vogt said. “Whereas for the other three teams, for the majorities, they set their lineup and go play.”

The Mets-Dodgers National League Championship Series starting Sunday and the Yankees-Guardians American League matchup beginning Monday feature some of baseball’s biggest stars in Shohei Ohtani, Mookie Betts, Aaron Judge, Juan Soto, Francisco Lindor and Pete Alonso. Cleveland has the best closer in Emmanuel Clase and a top hitter in José Ramírez.

Playoff pairings bring to the forefront the question of whether spending equates to success.

“Obviously, spending more gives you a better chance — you’re bringing in more players,” Mets reliever Adam Ottavino said. “But obviously it hasn’t always played out that way.”

The Mets have the top payroll of $332 million, followed by the Yankees at $311 million and the Dodgers at $266 million, according to Major League Baseball’s latest projections (final figures aren’t calculated until winter, after all bonuses have been determined). The Guardians are at $109 million.

“I’m not thinking about payroll,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. “I’m thinking about our 26 guys and beating the Mets. That’s it.”

Texas was sixth in payroll last year at $241 million when it won the World Series against Arizona, which was 20th at $129 million.

The only top spenders to win titles since the current luxury tax started have been the 2020 Dodgers, 2018 Red Sox and 2009 Yankees. Boston has won twice with a top-three payroll, as the second-biggest spender in 2004 and 2007, and the third-highest in 2013.

Seven of the last 21 champions have had payrolls outside the top 10: the 2021 Braves (14th), 2017 Astros (18th), 2015 Royals (13th), 2011 Cardinals (11th), 2010 Giants (11th), 2005 White Sox (13th) and 2003 Marlins (20th).

“As far as the payroll goes, ultimately it comes down to playing good baseball,” said San Diego manager Mike Shildt, whose team ranked 15th and lost to Los Angeles in a five-game Division Series.

The Dodgers and Mets will be meeting in the postseason for the fourth time after the 1988 NLCS won by LA and the 2006 and ’15 NLDS won by New York. The 1988 matchup was marked by the ejection of Dodgers pitcher Jay Howell in Game 3 for having pine tar on his glove and the 2015 NLDS was marred by the Dodgers’ Chase Utley breaking a leg of shortstop Ruben Tejada while trying to break up a double play. MLB responded by banned rolling body blocks before the 2016 season.

After the Mets took two of three at Dodger Stadium this April, Los Angeles swept New York at Citi Field in late May, prompting a players-only meeting that sparked New York’s turnaround from a 22-33 start.

Jack Flaherty starts the opener for the Dodgers and Kodai Senga for the Mets, in just his third appearance of an injury-filled season. Sean Manaea pitches Game 2 for New York, which earned three days off by beating Philadelphia in a four-game Division Series.

Dodgers All-Star first baseman Freddie Freeman, playing with a sprained right ankle, was 4 for 14 with no RBIs in the NLDS.

Cleveland and the Yankees will be playing in the postseason for the seventh time. Cleveland won Division Series in 1997 and 2007, and it lost the 1998 ALCS, Division Series in 2017 and ’22 and the wild-card round in 2020. The Yankees were four outs from advancing in 1997 before Sandy Alomar’s tying homer off Mariano Rivera in Game 4. The Indians won the series in five games and knocked out New York, which had won the 1996 title and went on to win three more from 1998-2000.

Two years ago, Cleveland’s Josh Naylor angered Yankees fans with his rock-the-baby celebration of a home run off Gerrit Cole in Game 4.

New York won two of three at Cleveland in April and also at home in August. Having beaten Kansas City in a four-game ALDS, the Yankees could go with Carlos Rodón in the opener and Cole in Game 2. Cleveland, which defeated Detroit in Game 5 on Saturday, could go with Alex Cobb in Game 1.

“Obviously a tremendous bullpen,” Yankees manager Aaron Boone said. “Athletic. They defend really well. They're pretty balanced in their attack.”

AP Sports Writer Tom Withers and AP freelance writer Jerry Beach contributed to this report.

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Cleveland Guardians' Emmanuel Clase celebrates after the Guardians defeated the Detroit Tigers in Game 5 of baseball's American League Division Series, Saturday, Oct. 12, 2024, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Phil Long)

New York Mets shortstop Francisco Lindor (12) celebrates after the Mets beat the Philadelphia Phillies in Game 4 of the National League baseball playoff series, Wednesday, Oct. 9, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger)

New York Yankees' Aaron Judge celebrates a 3-1 victory over the Kansas City Royals in Game 4 of an American League Division baseball playoff series Thursday, Oct. 10, 2024, in Kansas City, Mo (AP Photo/Reed Hoffmann)

Los Angeles Dodgers' Teoscar Hernández, left, celebrates his solo home run in the dugout with Shohei Ohtani during the seventh inning in Game 5 of a baseball NL Division Series against the San Diego Padres, Friday, Oct. 11, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)

MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — An Australian state police chief apologized to the Jewish community on Saturday after a sergeant allegedly performed an outlawed Nazi salute.

The 65-year-old instructor on domestic violence policy and law at the Victoria state police academy in Melbourne is facing charges for the gesture and for praising Nazi leader Adolf Hitler with the words, “Heil Hitler” on Tuesday and Wednesday in front of academy staff and recruits, Police Chief Commissioner Shane Patton said.

“I want to express just here at the outset my disappointment, my disgust, my anger at this appalling conduct,” Patton told a press conference.

“There is simply no place for this type of conduct in our society, let alone in this police force. For that reason, I want to profoundly apologize to the Jewish community but also to the community as whole,” Patton added.

Patton said the alleged behavior would exacerbate the grief and pain the Jewish community felt following the Oct. 7 anniversary of the Hamas attack on Israel.

The police officer, whose name has not been released, has served for more than 40 years. She was suspended from duty on Friday and was interviewed by professional standards internal investigators on Saturday.

She will likely be charged by summons, a police statement said after Patton’s news conference. The offence carries a potential maximum penalty of 12 months in prison and a fine of up to 23,000 Australian dollars ($16,000).

Performing Nazi gestures and displaying Nazi symbols such as the swastika have been banned by various state and federal laws since 2022.

The scandal comes in a week a Melbourne judge told self-described Nazi Jacob Hersant that he will become the first person in Australia to be sentenced to prison for performing the same banned gesture when the 25-year-old appears in court next month.

In June, three soccer fans were fined for performing the salute during a Sydney match. The men were the first convicted in Australia for such offences and have lodged appeals.

The Police Association of Victoria, a police union, described the allegations as serious and said officers should be held to the same standards as the rest of the community.

“The Police Association has consistently condemned this offensive gesture and urged the government to toughen legislation and penalties against those who perform it,” a union statement said.

Anti-Defamation Commission chair Dvir Abramovich, a leading opponent of antisemitism in Australia, praised the police force’s swift response to the officer’s alleged actions.

“A Nazi salute isn’t just a gesture -- it’s a horrifying symbol of genocide, terror, and antisemitism and for a police officer to wield this emblem of hate is beyond disturbing,” he said in a statement.

Patton said the suspended officer did not have a history of extreme views and her motives were unknown.

“But the motive doesn’t matter. The conduct should not, cannot and will not be tolerated,” Patton said.

FILE- Jacob Hersant, a self-described Nazi, talks to the media outside the Melbourne Magistrates Court after he became the first person convicted in Australia of performing an outlawed Nazi salute, Melbourne, Australia, Tuesday, Oct. 8, 2024. (AP Photo/Rod McGuirk, File)