The Braves open spring training Thursday with a player payroll 15% lower than a year ago.
They now have a projected opening-day payroll of about $129 million, pending further transactions, down from what would have been $152 million if a full season had been played last year.
The current figure includes the recent arbitration decisions that set the salaries of shortstop Dansby Swanson and pitcher Mike Soroka.
Of course, the books aren’t closed on the 2021 payroll. More moves will be made, either during spring training or the regular season. And even without more moves, the opening-day payroll will fluctuate slightly depending on spring decisions regarding the 26-player roster.
The Braves had signaled that their payroll would be reduced after the steep revenue decline of 2020, and they were able to cut it despite re-signing free-agent outfielder Marcell Ozuna and adding free-agent pitchers Charlie Morton and Drew Smyly.
Ozuna’s four-year contract was structured in such a way that he’ll make $6 million less this season than he would have made in a full season last year. The addition of Morton and Smyly for a combined $26 million largely is offset salary-wise by the departures of Cole Hamels and Mike Foltynewicz, who would have made a combined $24.425 million for a full season last year. And the Braves are spending a lot less on the bullpen this year than they would have spent pre-proration last season.
Entering spring training, the Braves’ projected payroll ranks 14th among the 30 MLB teams.
HOW BRAVES’ 2021 PAYROLL LOOKS NOW
· Freddie Freeman, 1B: $22 million
· Charlie Morton, SP: $15 million
· Will Smith, RP: $13 million
· Marcell Ozuna, LF: $12 million
· Drew Smyly, SP: $11 million
· Ender Inciarte, OF: $8 million
· Travis d’Arnaud, C: $8 million
· Chris Martin, RP: $7 million
· Dansby Swanson, SS: $6 million
· Ronald Acuna, OF: $5 million
· Max Fried, SP: $3.5 million
· Ozzie Albies, 2B: $3 million
· Mike Soroka, SP: $2.8 million
· Luke Jackson, RP: $1.9 million
· Johan Camargo, IF-OF: $1.36 million
· A.J. Minter, RP: $1.3 million
· Josh Tomlin, RP: $1 million
· Abraham Almonte, OF: $990,000
· Grant Dayton, RP: $900,000
· Others: Estimated total of $5 million-plus for those who make the big-league team*
· Total: Approximately $129 million, based on players currently with the organization and likely to be on the opening-day roster.
*-Players not yet eligible for salary arbitration receive contracts at or slightly above the MLB minimum salary of $570,500. This group includes some players expected to be on the opening-day roster (SP Ian Anderson, RP Tyler Matzek, CF Cristian Pache and 3B Austin Riley) and others who could compete for roster spots (C William Contreras, C Alex Jackson, IF Jack Mayfield, P Sean Newcomb, P Touki Toussaint, P Jacob Webb, P Bryse Wilson, P Kyle Wright, P Huascar Ynoa and others). Some players with minor-league contracts and spring-training invitations, such as infielders Pablo Sandoval, Jason Kipnis and Ehire Adrianza and relief pitcher Carl Edwards, also will compete for roster spots.
(Note: signing bonuses or buyouts paid in previous years and benefits costs are not included.)
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