The Dodgers used $277 million and a series of smart trades to build one of the best teams ever

After beating the Cubs in the National League Championship Series, the Los Angeles Dodgers are back in the World Series for the first time since 1988.

That drought doesn't come close to the longest in MLB history, but after a lengthy period of sustained winning, but little postseason glory, the Dodgers are finally over the hump. With one of the wealthiest ownership groups in baseball, money has fueled much of their success, but the front office tandem of Andrew Friedman and Farhan Zaidi is also one of the best in the business, demonstrating an uncanny ability to find impact players on the cheap.

With 473 wins over the past five seasons (including 104 in 2017 alone), these Dodgers are one of the most fearsome clubs in recent memory. Below, we take a look at how the team was assembled.