Study: MLB average salary hits record $5.34M
Why it matters: MLB's average salary hitting $5.34 million reflects a 28% increase under the current five-year collective bargaining agreement.
- MLB's average salary reached a record $5.34 million, marking a 3.4% increase from last season and a 28% rise since the current collective bargaining agreement began.
- The New York Mets maintained their position as the top-spending team for the fourth straight year, with a payroll of $352.2 million, just shy of their 2023 record.
- Juan Soto of the Mets is the highest-paid player for the second consecutive season at $61.9 million, followed by Cody Bellinger of the Yankees at $42.5 million.
- The Los Angeles Dodgers ranked second in team payroll at $316.6 million, though their spending would be significantly higher ($395.2 million) without discounting deferred money for nine players.
- Detroit saw the largest payroll increase, up $64.2 million to $206.7 million, while Minnesota slashed its payroll by $46.3 million to $96.5 million.
- Eight teams operated with payrolls under $100 million, an increase from five last year, highlighting a growing disparity in team spending across the league.
Major League Baseball's average salary surged to a record $5.34 million on Opening Day, a 3.4% increase, driven by a 28% rise under the current collective bargaining agreement. The New York Mets led spending for the fourth consecutive year with a $352.2 million payroll, while star players like Juan Soto ($61.9 million) and Cody Bellinger ($42.5 million) topped the individual salary charts.
