MLB payrolls on opening day "will exceed $3 billion for the first time this season, jumping more than 7 percent from last season and redistributing the windfall from landmark local television deals across the sport," according to Jeff Passan of YAHOO SPORTS. Payrolls for all MLB teams' 25-man rosters are estimated to be about $3.15B, a 7.1% increase "from last year's opening-day figure" of $2.94B. The Dodgers account for "more than half of the increase," with a projected $213M payroll that is the "highest in the major leagues" and a 123.9% increase over their $95.1M at the beginning of last season. Meanwhile, the Marlins "have shed nearly three times as much as any other team," going from a $118M opening-day payroll last season to an estimated $45M this year, a 61.9 % decrease. Fourteen teams will open the season "with nine-figure payrolls, a stark increase" from nine teams last year, and two more than the record set in '11. If the Orioles organization signs one of the remaining "marquee free agents, it could vault into the $100 million territory and make it the median for the sport" (SPORTS.YAHOO.com, 1/14).
| MLB PAYROLLS |
| TEAM | '13 ESTIMATE | '12 OPENING DAY | % +/- |
| Dodgers | $213.0M | $95.1M | 123.9% |
| Yankees | $210.0M | $198.0M | 6.1% |
| Phillies | $158.0M | $174.5M | -9.5% |
| Angels | $152.0M | $154.5M | -1.6% |
| Red Sox | $150.0M | $173.2M | -13.4% |
| Tigers | $150.0M | $132.3M | 13.4% |
| Giants | $137.0M | $117.6M | 16.5% |
| Rangers | $120.0M | $120.5M | -0.4% |
| White Sox | $117.0M | $96.9M | 20.7% |
| Cardinals | $115.0M | $110.3M | 4.3% |
| Blue Jays | $115.0M | $75.5M | 52.3% |
| Nationals | $113.0M | $81.3M | 39.9% |
| Reds | $107.0M | $82.2M | 30.2% |
| Cubs | $103.0M | $88.2M | 16.8% |
| Braves | $95.0M | $93.3M | 2.0% |
| Orioles | $92.0M | $81.4M | 13.0% |
| D'Backs | $89.0M | $74.3M | 19.8% |
| Mets | $84.0M | $93.4M | -10.0% |
| Twins | $80.0M | $94.1M | -15.0% |
| Royals | $78.0M | $60.9M | 28.0% |
| Rockies | $73.0M | $78.1M | -6.5% |
| Brewers | $72.0M | $97.7M | -26.3% |
| Indians | $71.0M | $78.4M | -9.5% |
| Mariners | $71.0M | $82.0M | -13.4% |
| Padres | $65.0M | $55.2M | 17.7% |
| A's | $60.0M | $55.4M | 8.4% |
| Rays | $60.0M | $64.2M | -6.5% |
| Pirates | $55.0M | $63.4M | -13.3% |
| Marlins | $45.0M | $118.1M | -61.9% |
| Astros | $32.0M | $60.7M | -47.2% |
| TOTALS | $3.1B | $2.9B | 4.5% |
