The term “moneyball” originated in Major League Baseball (MLB) and put a spotlight on how teams could use advanced analytics to snag undervalued players and build highly competitive rosters on a tight budget. But that doesn’t mean money doesn’t matter in the MLB. In fact, the cash available for roster-building tends to correlate with a team’s standings.
Let’s take a look at which team payrolls are most flush with cash entering the 2025 season of the MLB.
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MLB Payrolls by Team, 2025
So which teams boast the biggest bank account?
First, a few payroll highlights:
- The World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers’ have both the highest payroll and the highest-paid player, Shohei Ohtani, who makes $70 million per year. Ohtani’s contract allows for $2 million per year in salary, with an additional $68 million per year deferred until 2034.
- The Dodgers also have three players in the top 20 highest paid players this year: Blake Snell, Tyler Glasnow and Mookie Betts.
- The New York Mets have the second-highest payroll, especially after signing former Yankee Juan Soto following the conclusion of the 2024 season. The Mets made a Cinderella playoff run to nearly make the World Series last season, only to have their hopes dashed by the …
- New York Yankees. The Yankees were the 2024 World Series runner-up, and they’re the team with the fourth-highest payroll this season.
- The Philadelphia Phillies rank third in terms of payroll, and they’re expected to be a serious threat on the field this season. Pitcher Zach Wheeler is the league’s third highest-paid player with his $42 million contract.
- The Athletics — the original “Moneyball” team — sits at the bottom of the list (and last season’s standings) with the lowest payroll of just $55 million — about $7 million lower than last year.
Also of note: Many of the biggest spenders in 2025 also ended the 2024 season near the top of the list.
Here’s the payroll totals for the 2025 MLB season for each of the 30 teams.
| Team | Payroll |
| Los Angeles Dodgers | $321M |
| New York Mets | $315M |
| Philadelphia Phillies | $278M |
| New York Yankees | $272M |
| Toronto Blue Jays | $233M |
| Texas Rangers | $206M |
| Houston Astros | $204M |
| Atlanta Braves | $202M |
| San Diego Padres | $197M |
| Los Angeles Angels | $192M |
| Boston Red Sox | $184M |
| Chicago Cubs | $184M |
| Arizona Diamondbacks | $174M |
| San Francisco Giants | $158M |
| Baltimore Orioles | $150M |
| Seattle Mariners | $138M |
| Minnesota Twins | $137M |
| Detroit Tigers | $131M |
| St. Louis Cardinals | $122M |
| Kansas City Royals | $113M |
| Colorado Rockies | $112M |
| Cincinnati Reds | $103M |
| Washington Nationals | $100M |
| Milwaukee Brewers | $94M |
| Cleveland Guardians | $82M |
| Pittsburgh Pirates | $75M |
| Tampa Bay Rays | $73M |
| Chicago White Sox | $59M |
| Athletics | $55M |
| Miami Marlins | $47M |
Whether all of that money catapults the high rollers to the top of the standings and the 2025 playoffs or some of the more cash-strapped teams can surge despite the lower spend remains to be seen.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Which MLB team has the highest payroll in 2025?
The Los Angeles Dodgers, last year's World Series champions, have the highest payroll of any MLB team this season.
Which MLB team has the lowest payroll in 2025?
The Miami Marlins have the lowest payroll this season.
Who is the highest paid MLB player?
Shohei Ohtani, who will be paid a total of $70 million per year for 10 years by the Los Angeles Dodgers.
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