I agree that the dodgers could not maintain their team without deep pockets (it is expensive to keep players), but I think the "buy the team" is really unfair. I think the highest profile free agent signing (at the time of the signing) that played a role in the WS was Pollock. Those that did not come through the minors (many mentioned, but also Kershaw, Bellinger, May, Urias, Jansen,...) were largely clever "scrap heap" acquisitions (e.g., Turner, Taylor, Hernandez, Muncy...).
Obviously, Betts put them over the top, but they were probably as good as anyone in baseball even if they still had Verdugo (also from their minor system) in right. It is not like he was a terrible player.