The Pirates' opening-day payroll will top $90 million for the first time since 2017, per Ethan Hullihen'stabulation, at $90,215,386. Per competitive balance tax accounting, the one used by Major League Baseball and the MLB Players Association to compute the luxury tax, that figure's $92,375,126.
Add in $17.5 million in player benefits, plus $1.7 million for the pre-arbitration bonus pool, and it caps out at $111,541,793.
Hullihen's handiwork:
ETHAN HULLIHEN / X
I caution about this every spring, but opening-day payroll, no matter how often it's cited, means nothing compared to the one in October. After all the money's actually spent. It'll go up, it'll go down, it'll stay right around the same -- like it did last year -- but it's the real one.
Actual payroll in 2024 was $87,358,855, so this one, for now, looks like an increase of around $3 million. It's still expected to be bottom-three across Major League Baseball.
I'd been told from within the Pirates early in the offseason that payroll could wind up $100 million for 2025, but that obviously remains to be seen. Just as it remains to be seen what impact it'll have that the team lost $2.2 million in 2024, per our recent special report.
THE ASYLUM
Opening payroll tops $90 million
The Pirates' opening-day payroll will top $90 million for the first time since 2017, per Ethan Hullihen's tabulation, at $90,215,386. Per competitive balance tax accounting, the one used by Major League Baseball and the MLB Players Association to compute the luxury tax, that figure's $92,375,126.
Add in $17.5 million in player benefits, plus $1.7 million for the pre-arbitration bonus pool, and it caps out at $111,541,793.
Hullihen's handiwork:
ETHAN HULLIHEN / X
I caution about this every spring, but opening-day payroll, no matter how often it's cited, means nothing compared to the one in October. After all the money's actually spent. It'll go up, it'll go down, it'll stay right around the same -- like it did last year -- but it's the real one.
Actual payroll in 2024 was $87,358,855, so this one, for now, looks like an increase of around $3 million. It's still expected to be bottom-three across Major League Baseball.
I'd been told from within the Pirates early in the offseason that payroll could wind up $100 million for 2025, but that obviously remains to be seen. Just as it remains to be seen what impact it'll have that the team lost $2.2 million in 2024, per our recent special report.
Want to participate in our comments?
Want an ad-free experience?
Become a member, and enjoy premium benefits!
We’d love to have you!