So let’s crunch the numbers on the Braves’ opening-day payroll.
The total salaries of the players on the Braves’ 25-man active roster come to $79.752 million, undeniably low by current MLB standards.
Add the $33 million the Braves will pay Adrian Gonzalez and Scott Kazmir not to play for them and the $3.295 million in combined salaries of five players who opened the season on the disabled list, and that brings the Braves’ total major-league payroll to $116.047 million, which preliminarily appears to rank 21st among the 30 MLB teams.
The Boston Red Sox opened this season with baseball’s highest payroll of about $223 million, followed by the San Francisco Giants at around $203 million, according to an Associated Press report earlier this week.
A December trade with the Dodgers was the Braves’ major offseason expenditure, essentially consolidating what they would have owed Matt Kemp in 2018 and 2019 into what they will pay Gonzalez, Kazmir and Brandon McCarthy this season alone. That move was designed to free up room for a possible spending spree next winter. Even with the salaries added in that trade, however, the Braves’ payroll is about $10 million lower now than at the start of last season, because a year ago they were paying Bartolo Colon, R.A. Dickey and Jaime Garcia a combined $32.5 million.
The Braves' payroll declined this season despite a $124-million increase in revenue last year, their first at SunTrust Park. Asked about that disconnect earlier this week, Braves Chairman Terry McGuirk said the revenue surge was largely offset by debt service and increased costs associated with the new stadium and mixed-use development. He also said it's not yet the "appropriate" time for a higher payroll because the Braves want to give opportunity to their young (inexpensive) players. But he vowed that higher payrolls will come in future seasons. (See full story on McGuirk's comments about the payroll.)
Here’s how the Braves line up financially at the start of this season:
OPENING DAY ACTIVE ROSTER
Freddie Freeman, 1B, $21.36 million
Nick Markakis, RF, $11 million
Brandon McCarthy, SP, $10 million
Julio Teheran, SP, $8.167 million
Ender Inciarte, CF, $4.7 million
Tyler Flowers, C, $4 million
Kurt Suzuki, C, $3.5 million
Arodys Vizcanio, RP, $3.4 million
Mike Foltynewicz, SP, $2.2 million
Peter Moylan, RP, $1.25 million
Rex Brothers, RP, $1.1 million
Sam Freeman, RP, $1.075 million
Peter Bourjos, OF, $1 million
Ryan Flaherty, IF, $750,000
Dan Winkler, RP, $610,000
Lane Adams, OF, $575,000
Charlie Culberson, IF, $575,000
Chris Stewart, C, $575,000
Jose Ramirez, RP, $565,000
Dansby Swanson, SS, $565,000
Preston Tucker, OF, $565,000
Ozzie Albies, 2B, $555,000
Shane Carle, RP, $555,000
A.J. Minter, RP, $555,000
Sean Newcomb, SP, $555,000
Active roster total: $79.752 million
RELEASED PLAYERS
Adrian Gonzalez, 1B, $21.5 million
Scott Kazmir, P, $16 million
"Dead money" total: $33 million (after adjusting for $4.5 million the Braves received from Dodgers to offset Gonzalez and Kazmir salaries)
DISABLED LIST
Jacob Lindgren, RP, $820,000
Chase Whitley, RP, $800,000
Grant Dayton, RP, $565,000
Johan Camargo, IF, $555,000
Luiz Gohara, SP, $555,000
DL total: $3.295 million
OVERALL TOTAL: $116.047 million
(The fine print: The above figures include 2018 base salaries and prorated portions of any signing bonuses paid by the Braves, but do not include any portion of signing bonuses paid by other teams before players were traded to the Braves. Incentive bonuses and benefits are not included.)
About the Author
