The Major League Baseball season is just one week old, but so far, well, money isn’t necessarily translating into victories.
The New York Mets, who have a record $353.5 million opening-day payroll, according to USA TODAY’S annual salary report, have a losing record (3-4) and are already 2 ½ games back in the NL East standings.
The Tampa Bay Rays, who have the third-smallest payroll in baseball at $73.2 million, are baseball’s lone undefeated team (6-0).
The teams with the four highest player payrolls this season – the Mets, Yankees, San Diego Padres and Philadelphia Phillies – are off to a combined 11-14 start.
The teams with the four smallest payrolls this season – Oakland Athletics, Pittsburgh Pirates, Tampa, Baltimore Orioles – are off to a 15-9 start.
If the trends continue for another six months, MLB can disband its economic reform committee – but the reality is that the big spenders will be playing in October. The small-market teams, well, at least those outside Tampa and Cleveland will be staying home.
“I think of it in terms of competitiveness, right?’’ commissioner Rob Manfred told USA TODAY Sports before opening day. “I mean, our product is a simple product. We sell competition, that’s what we sell. And I think that for owners, it’s not so much, the “I can only spend $70 [million] and somebody spending $320 [million]. But it is the perception that’s created by that disparity that, “My team somehow doesn’t have a chance at the beginning of the year.’ “
The disparity is almost comical, with 12 players on the Mets’ opening-day roster earning at least $10 million a year, including four in excess of $20 million annually, excluding released infielder Robinson Cano’s $24 million salary.
Oakland, with a $56.9 million opening-day payroll, doesn’t have a soul earning more than veteran pitcher Trevor May’s $7 million salary. Pitchers Max Scherzer and Justin Verlander will earn a combined $86.6 million – $29.8 million more than the Athletics’ entire team.
Here are some of the intriguing money nuggets revealed in USA TODAY Sports’ annual survey.
2023 MLB SALARIES: Database of every player on the opening day roster
Catcher | First baseman | Second baseman | Third baseman | Shortstop | Outfielder | DH | Starting pitcher | Relief pitcher
Highest-paid Angels player
Uh, not who you think.
It’s third baseman Anthony Rendon, who has missed 219 games the…