- The average total team payroll across MLB in 2024 is $120,205,603.
- The New York Mets have the highest payroll at $307,696,088.
- The lowest payroll belongs to the Oakland Athletics at $62,666,952.
Baseball is an expensive business, and there often seems to be no end to the amount of money big-market owners will shell out to see top players on their teams.
As mega-contracts become more common across the league and payroll sizes continue to grow, some teams see the annual luxury tax threshold as more of a mere inconvenience than any real deterrent to spending.
As of April 2024, the average total payroll across all MLB teams in 2024 is $120,205,603.
Below are all MLB teams and their payrolls for 2024, according to Spotrac.
MLB Teams With Highest Payrolls in 2024
| RANK | TEAM | TOTAL PAYROLL |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mets | $307,696,088 |
| 2 | Yankees | $306,806,064 |
| 3 | Astros | $249,528,711 |
| 4 | Phillies | $245,152,353 |
| 5 | Rangers | $232,299,910 |
| 6 | Braves | $229,988,101 |
| 7 | Dodgers | $227,954,173 |
| 8 | Cubs | $226,380,019 |
| 9 | Blue Jays | $225,136,986 |
| 10 | Giants | $196,465,627 |
| 11 | Red Sox | $182,623,843 |
| 12 | Cardinals | $174,886,396 |
| 13 | Angels | $170,271,037 |
| 14 | Diamondbacks | $168,960,961 |
| 15 | Padres | $161,899,535 |
| 16 | Rockies | $143,898,685 |
| 17 | Mariners | $140,710,862 |
| 18 | White Sox | $132,999,134 |
| 19 | Twins | $129,622,750 |
| 20 | Royals | $115,938,570 |
| 21 | Nationals | $110,349,939 |
| 22 | Tigers | $107,029,397 |
| 23 | Brewers | $106,716,568 |
| 24 | Orioles | $102,483,589 |
| 25 | Reds | $101,687,437 |
| 26 | Guardians | $100,541,698 |
| 27 | Rays | $100,070,323 |
| 28 | Marlins | $97,997,886 |
| 29 | Pirates | $83,284,594 |
| 30 | Athletics | $62,666,952 |
1. Mets
The Mets had the highest payroll in 2023 and were only passed in the offseason when Juan Soto was traded to the Yankees.
After the signing of J.D. Martinez, the Mets are now back on top of this list.
Despite the financial commitment, New York remains an MLB odds long shot following a 75-87 campaign.
2. Yankees
Thanks to the addition of Soto in the offseason, the Yankees are among the biggest spenders ahead of the 2024 season.
Soto is one of four players making at least $31,000,000 this year, joining Aaron Judge ($40,000,000), Gerrit Cole ($36,000,000), and Giancarlo Stanton ($32,000,000).
After missing last year’s postseason, the Yankees hope a bigger payroll will boost their MLB playoff odds in a stacked AL East division.
7. Dodgers
The Dodgers made the biggest splashes in free agency by signing two-way star Shohei Ohtani to a record-setting 10-year, $700 million contract while also handing Yoshinobu Yamamoto the biggest contract for a pitcher in MLB history before he’s thrown a single pitch in this league.
But the Dodgers are just seventh in total payroll because Ohtani will defer $68 million of his $70 million yearly, which means he makes up less than 1% of this year’s payroll. Mookie Betts, Freddie Freeman, and Tyler Glasnow are the highest members of the current payroll.
Unsurprisingly, the Dodgers are the World Series odds favorites with their star-studded roster.
30. Athletics
The Oakland Athletics are last in the league in payroll for the second straight season.
This isn’t completely due to the team’s Moneyball history, as the franchise is preparing to move to Las Vegas in 2028. That saga is far from over, however.
With or without a move to Las Vegas, Oakland will remain near the bottom of my 2024 MLB power rankings.
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