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Consider the Tampa Bay Rays\u00a0<\/a>the anti-Los Angeles Dodgers.<\/a><\/p>\n The Dodgers \u2014 who have the highest payroll in baseball ($408M), per FanGraphs\u00a0<\/a>\u2014 have paid boatloads to stars like designated hitter\/pitcher Shohei Ohtani, shortstop Mookie Betts, first baseman Freddie Freeman and ace Yoshinobu Yamamoto. Meanwhile, the Rays have used a more cost-effective strategy. It has yielded excellent results.\u00a0<\/p>\n The Rays beat the New York Yankees\u00a0<\/a>6-1 on the road Tuesday night, clinching their first American League East title since 2021. Tampa Bay (96-61) remains on track to clinch the No. 1 seed in the AL. Even more impressive, given that the championship contender was built on a budget.\u00a0<\/p>\n FanGraphs estimates the Rays have the 28th-highest payroll ($90M) among the 30 teams in Major League Baseball.<\/a> Peanuts compared to their divisional rivals’ bankrolls. The 90-67 Yankees have the third-highest payroll ($310M) in baseball. The 84-73 Boston Red Sox,<\/a> meanwhile, have the 12th-highest payroll ($199M).<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\nRays’ cost-effective strategy powers them into World Series contention\u00a0<\/h2>\n