MLB Payrolls - The Baseball Cube

Page Notes

MLB Payrolls are available since 1988. They reflect the opening day payroll for a given team/season based on Major League Contracts signed for the season. Players joining later in the season are not included but are also mostly immaterial in salary and cancelled out by similar-type players on other teams.

The Player Count refers to the number of players for who salaries are listed.

For the purpose of this site, Payrolls reference a team's sum of salaries while Salaries refers to a player's individual yearly salary.

About the Data:Payrolls Data | Salaries Data

Learn more about TBC data and the site in the About TBC section. Also, don't forget to find a way to Support TBC.

Related Data Products:Salary History

The TBC Data Store allows you to purchase the data you see on the site. The store has standard pre-determined data products as well as the ability to work with us to produce custom data extracts based on your requirements.

Get TBC PREMIUM and remove ads, cleaner display, access to research applications, data store discounts and more!

The TBC Newsletter will keep you periodically up-to-date on what is happening at The Baseball Cube.

Years Available with Payroll Data

                                        1988 1989 
1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 
2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 
2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019

Payrolls by Year

top csv share Sort ✖

Year	Total Payroll	League Min	Avg Salary	Player Count	Team Count	Top Salary	Highest Payroll	Lowest Payroll
2019	$ 4,007,869,480	$ 555,000	$ 4,509,524	1452	30	Max Scherzer ($42,142,857)	Boston Red Sox ($222,171,123)	Tampa Bay Rays ($60,444,931)
2018	$ 4,141,041,635	$ 545,000	$ 4,095,686	1384	30	Mike Trout ($33,250,000)	Boston Red Sox ($235,649,368)	Oakland Athletics ($68,534,631)
2017	$ 3,878,284,045	$ 535,000	$ 4,097,122	1363	30	Clayton Kershaw ($33,000,000)	Los Angeles Dodgers ($187,989,811)	San Diego Padres ($34,574,400)
2016	$ 3,937,842,897	$ 507,500	$ 3,966,020	1358	30	Clayton Kershaw ($32,000,000)	Los Angeles Dodgers ($253,639,162)	Milwaukee Brewers ($62,964,319)
2015	$ 3,658,284,542	$ 507,500	$ 3,952,252	1358	30	Clayton Kershaw ($31,000,000)	Los Angeles Dodgers ($230,352,402)	Arizona Diamondbacks ($65,770,333)
2014	$ 3,453,960,397	$ 500,000	$ 3,818,923	1324	30	Zack Greinke ($28,000,000)	Los Angeles Dodgers ($235,295,219)	Houston Astros ($44,544,174)
2013	$ 3,187,568,088	$ 490,000	$ 3,386,212	1313	30	Alex Rodriguez ($29,000,000)	New York Yankees ($228,995,945)	Houston Astros ($24,328,538)
2012	$ 2,940,657,192	$ 480,000	$ 3,213,479	1291	30	Alex Rodriguez ($30,000,000)	New York Yankees ($197,962,289)	San Diego Padres ($55,244,700)
2011	$ 2,786,161,291	$ 414,000	$ 3,095,183	1306	30	Alex Rodriguez ($32,000,000)	New York Yankees ($202,689,028)	Kansas City Royals ($36,126,000)
2010	$ 2,730,601,685	$ 400,000	$ 3,014,572	1256	30	Alex Rodriguez ($33,000,000)	New York Yankees ($206,333,389)	Pittsburgh Pirates ($34,943,000)
2009	$ 2,655,395,194	$ 400,000	$ 2,996,106	1271	30	Alex Rodriguez ($33,000,000)	New York Yankees ($201,449,189)	Florida Marlins ($36,834,000)
2008	$ 2,686,433,458	$ 390,000	$ 2,925,679	1298	30	Alex Rodriguez ($28,000,000)	New York Yankees ($209,081,577)	Florida Marlins ($21,811,500)
2007	$ 2,476,688,987	$ 380,000	$ 2,824,751	1279	30	Jason Giambi ($23,428,571)	New York Yankees ($189,259,045)	Tampa Bay Rays ($24,123,500)
2006	$ 2,326,706,685	$ 327,000	$ 2,699,292	1243	30	Alex Rodriguez ($21,680,727)	New York Yankees ($194,663,079)	Florida Marlins ($14,998,500)
2005	$ 2,191,886,898	$ 316,000	$ 2,476,589	1236	30	Alex Rodriguez ($26,000,000)	New York Yankees ($208,306,817)	Tampa Bay Rays ($29,679,067)
2004	$ 2,071,265,943	$ 300,000	$ 2,313,535	1245	30	Manny Ramirez ($22,500,000)	New York Yankees ($184,193,950)	Milwaukee Brewers ($27,528,500)
2003	$ 2,127,863,461	$ 300,000	$ 2,372,189	1229	30	Alex Rodriguez ($22,000,000)	New York Yankees ($152,749,814)	Tampa Bay Rays ($19,630,000)
2002	$ 2,024,680,522	$ 200,000	$ 2,295,649	1219	30	Alex Rodriguez ($22,000,000)	New York Yankees ($125,928,583)	Tampa Bay Rays ($34,380,000)
2001	$ 1,962,841,814	$ 200,000	$ 2,138,896	1218	30	Alex Rodriguez ($22,000,000)	New York Yankees ($112,287,143)	Minnesota Twins ($24,130,000)
2000	$ 1,686,271,795	$ 200,000	$ 1,895,630	1230	30	Kevin Brown ($15,714,286)	New York Yankees ($92,938,260)	Minnesota Twins ($15,654,500)
Year	Total Payroll	League Min	Avg Salary	Player Count	Team Count	Top Salary	Highest Payroll	Lowest Payroll
1999	$ 1,445,119,433	$ 200,000	$ 1,611,166	1207	30	Albert Belle ($11,949,794)	New York Yankees ($88,130,709)	Florida Marlins ($15,150,000)
1998	$ 1,210,532,333	$ 170,000	$ 1,398,831	1187	30	Gary Sheffield ($14,936,667)	Baltimore Orioles ($70,408,134)	Montreal Expos ($9,202,000)
1997	$ 1,061,631,360	$ 150,000	$ 1,336,609	1121	28	Albert Belle ($10,000,000)	New York Yankees ($59,148,877)	Pittsburgh Pirates ($9,071,666)
1996	$ 895,178,844	$ 122,667	$ 1,119,981	1139	28	Cecil Fielder ($9,237,500)	New York Yankees ($52,189,370)	Montreal Expos ($15,410,500)
1995	$ 882,082,040	$ 109,000	$ 1,110,766	1132	28	Cecil Fielder ($9,237,500)	Toronto Blue Jays ($49,791,500)	Montreal Expos ($12,031,000)
1994	$ 884,936,262	$ 109,000	$ 1,168,263	990	28	Bobby Bonilla ($6,300,000)	New York Yankees ($44,785,334)	San Diego Padres ($13,529,333)
1993	$ 856,648,188	$ 109,000	$ 1,076,089	1103	28	Bobby Bonilla ($6,200,000)	Toronto Blue Jays ($45,747,666)	Colorado Rockies ($8,829,000)
1992	$ 783,893,948	$ 109,000	$ 1,028,667	1005	26	Bobby Bonilla ($6,100,000)	New York Mets ($44,352,002)	Cleveland Indians ($8,236,166)
1991	$ 630,008,474	$ 100,000	$ 851,492	1033	26	Darryl Strawberry ($3,800,000)	Oakland Athletics ($33,632,500)	Houston Astros ($11,546,000)
1990	$ 454,422,925	$ 100,000	$ 597,537	1028	26	Robin Yount ($3,200,000)	Kansas City Royals ($23,873,745)	Chicago White Sox ($9,496,238)
1989	$ 350,909,782	$ 68,000	$ 497,254	987	26	Orel Hershiser ($2,766,667)	Los Angeles Dodgers ($21,584,161)	Chicago White Sox ($7,595,561)
1988	$ 294,880,320	$ 62,500	$ 438,729	972	26	Ozzie Smith ($2,340,000)	New York Yankees ($18,909,152)	Chicago White Sox ($5,906,952)
32 record(s)

TBC Supporter
William Hill is a globally respected brand and publicly traded company. William Hill has entered the US betting market with a nice offer. The top William Hill promo code gives new registrants up to $500 in free money. Check it out!

About the Newsletter