Athletics News

Home

Quizzes

Watch

Newsletter

Rob Schumacher/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Every MLB Team Payroll in 2026

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Eric W. Bolin | Last updated Feb 22, 2026 4:24 PM ET

As the only the major North American professional sport without a salary cap, Major League Baseball economics can be wild to behold.

While a salary cap has provided some competitive balance in other sports, MLB’s player union has fought for decades to keep the cap from coming to their sport. It also hasn’t stopped teams near the bottom from competing.

Still, the teams willing to spend the most money tend to be the most dominant. That likely won’t change in 2026 as the top six teams in baseball with the highest payrolls all made the postseason last year.

MLB's highest-paid players by position: C | 1B | 2B | 3B | SS | OF | DH | SP | RP

The defending World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers take the No. 1 spot when it comes to spending, too, checking in with a payroll nearing $400 million.

Meanwhile, the Cleveland Guardians have finished first or second in the American League Central for nine of the last 10 seasons - and have made the playoffs in three of the last four - but have the 29th-ranked payroll, spending just $97.7 million on its roster heading into spring training.

That’s still almost $20 million more than the last-place Miami Marlins, though. The Marlins’ $78.1 million roster has just 10 players who either carry guaranteed salaries or are eligible for arbitration.

Here’s a breakdown of all 30 teams.

1. Los Angeles Dodgers - $390.5 Million

Highest paid player by total salary: Shohei Ohtani, $700M

Highest paid player by average annual value: Ohtani, $70M per year

Ohtani is an unusual case as his salary structure sees him make just $2 million in cash through his deal that runs through 2023. However, he will make $68 million per year from 2034, when he will become an unrestricted free agent, through 2043. As of this season, his net worth is approximately $150 million.

2. New York Mets - $368.7 Million

Highest paid player by total salary: Juan Soto, $765M

Highest paid player by average annual value: Soto, $51M per year

Thanks to Ohtani’s unusual deal, Soto is the highest paid player in baseball currently. Soto’s deal is front-loaded as he will make $61.9 million for three of the next four years before bringing $46 million a season starting in 2030.

3. New York Yankees - $333.2 Million

Highest paid player by total salary: Aaron Judge, $360M

Highest paid player by average annual value: Judge, $40M per year

Judge is tops here only on a technicality. Cody Bellinger’s average annual value is $44.8 million, but includes an opt-out clause after either the 2027 or 2028 seasons.

4. Philadelphia Phillies - $311.2 Million

Highest paid player by total salary: Bryce Harper, $330M

Highest paid player by average annual value: Zack Wheeler, $42M per year

Wheeler is the second highest paid player this season and highest paid pitcher. He underwent shoulder surgery in September and isn’t expected to join the roster until late April or early May.

5. Toronto Blue Jays - $300.3 Million

Toronto Blue Jays first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr. smiles.Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images

Highest paid player by total salary: Vladimir Guerrero Jr., $500M

Highest paid player by average annual value: Guerrero, $35.7M per year

Guerrero’s signing of a 14-year deal last year made waves. It also made him a boatload of money. He’ll take home $40.2 million this season.

6. San Diego Padres - $262.1 Million

Highest paid player by total salary: Manny Machado, $350M

Highest paid player by average annual value: Machado, $31.8M per year

Xander Boegarts makes more this season by a couple hundred thousand dollars. But Machado gets a $14 million raise going into 2027 and will play the final six years of his contract making $39.1 million a season.

7. Boston Red Sox - $256.1 Million

Highest paid player by total salary: Garrett Crochet, $170M

Highest paid player by average annual value: Crochet, $28.3M per year

After Crochet’s first season in Boston, the Red Sox may have gotten a steal with their ace’s deal. Though, like the Yankees, the Sox could be paying more money to Sonny Gray if both he and the club pick up their mutual option in 2027.

8. Atlanta Braves - $246.5 Million

Highest paid player by total salary: Austin Riley, $212M

Highest paid player by average annual value: Riley and Matt Olson, $21M per year

Atlanta’s two corner basemen will both make $22 million a year through 2029. Riley’s deal will go two years more at that number while the Braves carry a club option on Olson in 2030.

9. Chicago Cubs - $240.9 Million

Chicago Cubs third baseman Alex Bregman (3) warms up before a game against the Chicago White Sox at Sloan Park.Rick Scuteri-Imagn Images

Highest paid player by total salary: Dansby Swanson, $177M

Highest paid player by average annual value: Alex Bregman, $35M per year

Bregman is the team’s highest paid player even with an Ohtani-like deal that defers some of his money, bringing the actual total during contract length to $30.9 million average annual value.

10. Detroit Tigers - $236.7 Million

Highest paid player by total salary: Javier Baez, $140M

Highest paid player by average annual value: Framber Valdez, $38.3M per year

Valdez, who signed in mid-February, makes about $15 million more in average annual value than Baez, who is second on the roster in AAV.

11. Houston Astros - $228.2 Million

Highest paid player by total salary: Carlos Correa, $200M

Highest paid player by average annual value: Jose Altuve, $33M per year

Altuve is just ahead of Correa in AAV as the latter makes $32.8 million per year through the length of his deal.

12. San Francisco Giants - $223.6 Million

Highest paid player by total salary: Rafael Devers, 313M

Highest paid player by average annual value: Devers, $31.3M per year

The Giants may be seeking a bit more return on investment from Devers as his first season in San Francisco was fair, but probably not worth the money remaining on his current deal.

13. Baltimore Orioles - $201.5 Million

Baltimore Orioles first baseman Pete Alonso (25) greets shortstop Gunnar Henderson (2).Jonathan Dyer-Imagn Images

Highest paid player by total salary: Pete Alonso, $155M

Highest paid player by average annual value: Alonso, $31M per year

It’s unclear where the Orioles stand after a disappointing 2025. By signing Alonso in the offseason and giving him a $12.5 million raise starting in 2027, they don’t seem to think they’re rebuilding.

14. Texas Rangers - $200.1 Million

Highest paid player by total salary: Corey Seager, $325M

Highest paid player by average annual value: Jacob DeGrom, $37M per year

DeGrom and Seager remain two of the best players in baseball and their salaries worth it, as long as they’re healthy. That’s a big "if" in Texas, where everything’s bigger.

15. Los Angeles Angels - $187 Million

Highest paid player by total salary: Mike Trout, $426.5M

Highest paid player by average annual value: Trout, $35M per year

The Angels removed the albatross that was Anthony Rendon’s salary this offseason. They still owe him $38 million-plus, but they came to an agreement to pay that out over a number of years while removing him from the organization.

16. Arizona Diamondbacks - $186.3 Million

Highest paid player by total salary: Nolan Arenado, $260M

Highest paid player by average annual value: Corbin Burnes, $32.5M per year

Arenado has just two years left on his deal and will see his salary go from $27 million in 2026 to $15 million next year. Burnes, meanwhile, is signed through 2030.

17. Kansas City Royals - $181.7 Million

Kansas City Royals shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. (7) is greeted in the dugout after scoring.Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

Highest paid player by total salary: Bobby Witt Jr., $288.8M

Highest paid player by average annual value: Witt, $26.3M per year

No longer the thrifty Royals, Kansas City opened the pocketbook for Witt, one of baseball’s best players. He’s signed through 2034.

18. Seattle Mariners - $181.2 Million

Highest paid player by total salary: Julio Rodriguez, $209.3M

Highest paid player by average annual value: Luis Castillo, $21.6M per year

Rodriguez’s salary is tricky as he’s signed through 2029, but holds player options from 2030 to 2034. The club also holds conditional options after 2029.

19. Cincinnati Reds - $146.7 Million

Highest paid player by total salary: Ke’Bryan Hayes, $70M

Highest paid player by average annual value: Eugenio Suarez, $15M per year

Suarez re-signed in the offseason with the club he broke out with in 2015. Usually a third baseman, expect him to play as a designated hitter more in 2026 as Hayes’ glove will see him get a bulk of the starts at third base.

20. Athletics - $131.9 Million

Highest paid player by total salary: Tyler Soderstrom, $86M

Highest paid player by average annual value: Luis Severino, $22.3M per year

Given everything that’s said about the Athletics, it might be a modest surprise to see them this high, even. Soderstrom is one of only four players locked up with a guaranteed salary beyond this season, though.

21. Milwaukee Brewers - $129.1 Million

Highest paid player by total salary: Christian Yelich, $188.5M

Highest paid player by average annual value: Yelich, $26.9M per year

Yelich is no longer the player who won National League Most Valuable Player in 2018 and finished second in 2019. But finishing 12th in his age-33 season last year added to that makes the deal plenty worth it.

22. Pittsburgh Pirates - $120.7 Million

Highest paid player by total salary: Bryan Reynolds, $106.8M

Highest paid player by average annual value: Mitch Keller, $15.4M per year

The biggest question surrounding the Pirates is whether they’ll pony up the cash to keep Paul Skenes in town. He’s still working on pre-arbitration deals for now.

23. Minnesota Twins - $119.2 Million

Highest paid player by total salary: Byron Buxton, $100M

Highest paid player by average annual value: Pablo Lopez, $18.4M per year

Buxton has three years left on his deal while Lopez has two. No one else on the roster makes more than $7 million a season.

24. St. Louis Cardinals - $118.6 Million

Highest paid player by total salary: Dustin May, $12.5M

Highest paid player by average annual value: May, $12.5M per year

The usually-high-spending Cardinals are rebuilding. Only three players have guaranteed salaries this season while another six are in their eligible-for-arbitration years.

25. Colorado Rockies - $105.3 Million

Highest paid player by total salary: Kris Bryant, $182M

Highest paid player by average annual value: Bryant, $26M per year

Bryant’s career appears to be all but over as chronic back injuries have plagued pretty much his entire stint in Colorado.

26. Chicago White Sox - $105.2 Million

Chicago White Sox third baseman Munetaka Murakami hits against the Chicago Cubs at Sloan Park.Rick Scuteri-Imagn Images

Highest paid player by total salary: Andrew Benintendi, $75M

Highest paid player by average annual value: Munetaka Murakami, $17M per year

Chicago’s southsiders appear to be coming out of their rebuild. The signing of Murakami out of Japan signals the next step from the youth movement. That and keeping the now-31-year-old Benintendi around.

27. Tampa Bay Rays - $105.2 Million

Highest paid player by total salary: Wander Franco, $182M

Highest paid player by average annual value: Franco, $16.5M per year

Franco will never play in Major League Baseball again. The highest paid player actually on the Tampa Bay roster is Yandy Diaz, who is on the final year of a four-year, $36-million contract. For average annual value, the leader is Nick Martinez, who signed a one-year deal worth $13 million in the offseason.