Maintaining a winning MLB roster can be as expensive as an owner is willing to make it. Over the last few years, there have been bona fide arms races between divisions among baseball’s best teams and it’s easy to understand why: In pro baseball, money makes a big difference.
The Dodgers have had the number one payroll in the last three years and won two World Series championships in that same span. Most of the top 10 made the playoffs a year ago and two of the top five – the Blue Jays and the Dodgers – faced off in the World Series.
Heading into the 2026 season, these teams have once again spent big in their quest to win a World Series.
Let’s take a look at which team payrolls are most flush with cash entering the 2026 season of the MLB.
And, be sure to keep up with your favorite MLB team on DIRECTV.
Top MLB Payrolls in 2026
Major League Baseball is a sport that demands that owners open up their wallets and fork over some cash. The most consistently competitive teams are spending big in free agency and locking up stars no matter the cost. This season is no exception.
Here are the league’s most expensive rosters.
1. Los Angeles Dodgers ($401 million)
The Dodgers once again have the top payroll in Major League Baseball. Some of the usual suspects remain among their highest-paid players: Shohei Ohtani is making $46 million, Blake Snell $31 million, Mookie Betts $30 million and Yoshinobu Yamamoto $27 million.
But new to the party this year is Kyle Tucker, who’s making $57 million on a four-year contract. Tucker was the league’s highest-rated free agent available, and the Dodgers absorbed his massive contract like it was nothing, making them once again a favorite for the World Series. No one spends like the Dodgers spend.
2. New York Mets ($369 million)
The Mets have been one of the most aggressive teams in baseball at spending, exemplified by the massive contract they awarded Juan Soto a year ago. He’ll make $51 million this year. They also signed Bo Bichette to a three-year, $126 million deal. Francisco Lindor is making $34 million and Marcus Semien is making $24 million. The Mets have the most expensive infield in the league.
They also made a trade for Luis Robert Jr. from the White Sox, who’s making $22 million and signed Devin Williams for another $15 million per year. The Mets had a disappointing finish to last season, missing the playoffs at the very end. Once again, they hope another spending spree can end their World Series drought.
3. New York Yankees ($333 million)
A tale as old as time: the New York Yankees being one of the highest payrolls in baseball. Cody Bellinger surprisingly takes the top spot on their payroll at $44 million this year. Three-time MVP Aaron Judge will be making $40 million, which is a bargain. The Yankees also have one of the most expensive pitching rotations in Gerrit Cole, Max Fried and Carlos Rodón.
After a season riddled by injuries, the Yankees will need all of these stars healthy and performing to make it out of their own division let alone make some noise in the playoffs.
4. Philadelphia Phillies ($312 million)
The Phillies were one of the best teams in baseball throughout much of the season until they suffered some devastating injuries down the stretch. Entering 2026, this is a roster that might be at a make-or-break point with one of the most expensive payrolls in the league and hasn’t made the World Series in their current construction.
Zack Wheeler, their $42 million arm, will hopefully be able to last for the entirety of the season. Kyle Schwarber is back at $30 million a year, and Bryce Harper and Trea Turner anchor the middle of the order, each making north of $25 million.
Philadelphia will definitely need a bounce-back year from Aaron Nola. The 10-year vet finished well below expectations and well below what they need out of him given his high price tag.
5. Toronto Blue Jays ($294 million)
Last year’s World Series runners-up, the Blue Jays would have had an even higher payroll if they were able to retain Bo Bichette. Instead, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. remains their highest-paid player. They added starting pitcher Dylan Cease at $26 million a year in free agency. George Springer is making $25 million after having a re-emergence in the 2025 season, and Kevin Gausman is making $22 million in what Toronto hopes can be a bounce-back year for him as well.
As far as the rest of the payroll, Toronto relies heavily on depth of strong utility players. It was enough to make them one of the best teams in baseball a year ago and they are hoping that depth comes through once again as they seek their first World Series since the early 90s.
6. San Diego Padres ($259 million)
The Padres rode a summer surge into the postseason a year ago, only to see their hopes dashed in the wild card round to the Cubs. Even though the Dodgers’ roster got even better with the addition of Kyle Tucker, the Padres can never be ruled out with how much talent they have.
Manny Machado is the roster’s highest-paid player and he’s still producing at third base. Xander Bogaerts had a disappointing season and has not performed as well as hoped since signing with San Diego, but will still have every opportunity to contribute.
Michael King at $25 million a year is hoping to have a healthier season than he did in 2025 and the same goes for Joe Musgrove at $20 million a year. Fernando Tatis Jr., the perennial MVP candidate, will look to make this investment in the roster worth it with a World Series title. San Diego has a window to take advantage of, as they will surely have an extension for center fielder Jackson Merrill in the near future.
7. Boston Red Sox ($256 million)
The Red Sox have taken a more budget-friendly approach over the last handful of years but still remain among the league’s top 10 payrolls. Garrett Crochet, the Cy Young candidate who had a career year in his first season with Boston, is the team’s highest-paid player.
Ranger Suárez and Sonny Gray were both added to bring even more strength to that starting rotation, north of $20 million a year to give them excellent pitching depth.
Outside of the three arms, Trevor Story, who is largely serving as a bridge player for this roster, Masataka Yoshida, who doesn’t have a defined position, and Willson Contreras, who they picked up in free agency to play first base, are their other highest-paid players as Boston transitions between eras to the next generation.
8. Atlanta Braves ($246 million)
It was a disappointing season for the Braves a year ago, finishing fourth in the NL East and missing the playoffs. It really came down to not having everyone healthy at the same time. But Atlanta has the talent to compete for a title every year with their current roster.
Austin Riley and Matt Olson are elite bats at the infield corners. Hye-seong Kim is going to hopefully give them an elite defensive presence at short. Chris Sale, if he can respond with a healthy season, is a bargain at the top of their rotation. And Ronald Acuña Jr. is the best value player in the league, making just $12.5 million but perennially in the MVP conversation. The same could be said for Spencer Strider who, when healthy, has Cy Young-level talent at just $12.5 million a year.
9. Chicago Cubs ($240 million)
The Cubs have turned more toward free agency as of late, compared to the teams of the 2010s and early 2020s that relied on their farm system. Alex Bregman and Dansby Swanson are their two most recent free agent signings. Bregman will make $32.5 million per year and man third base, while Swanson will make $25 million at short for an elite defensive combo on the left side of the infield.
Shota Imanaga is making $22 million a year and Ian Happ is making $20 million and besides them it is a crew of high value, low cost players. They are getting one of the better bargains in the league with center fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong who, going into just his second full year, is making $820,000 but producing at All-Star levels.
10. Detroit Tigers ($238 million)
The Tigers fell apart toward the end of 2025 to miss the division title in the AL Central but bounced back well enough to beat the Guardians in the wild card series and took the divisional series to five games against the Mariners. Once again, it’s their pitching they’ll rely on to carry them through to another postseason appearance and hopefully their first division title in 10 years.
Of their top 10 highest-paid players, six of them are starting pitchers. Newly acquired free agent starter Framber Valdez from the Astros signed a deal to pay him $38 million a year. Tarik Skubal, the two-time Cy Young award winner and arguably the best pitcher in all of baseball, won his arbitration case to make $32 million. Jack Flaherty is making $17.5 million. Justin Verlander, who’s returning to where it all began, will make $10 million. Drew Anderson and Casey Mize will make $7 million and $6 million respectively.
All the investment in Detroit is in pitching.
Here is how the full league’s payrolls look in 2026:
| Rank | Team | Tax Payroll |
| 1 | Los Angeles Dodgers | $401,062,413 |
| 2 | New York Mets | $369,978,064 |
| 3 | New York Yankees | $333,249,200 |
| 4 | Philadelphia Phillies | $312,775,437 |
| 5 | Toronto Blue Jays | $294,270,459 |
| 6 | San Diego Padres | $259,523,678 |
| 7 | Boston Red Sox | $256,125,051 |
| 8 | Atlanta Braves | $246,458,333 |
| 9 | Chicago Cubs | $240,442,380 |
| 10 | Detroit Tigers | $238,439,582 |
| 11 | Houston Astros | $234,184,994 |
| 12 | San Francisco Giants | $223,524,836 |
| 13 | Arizona Diamondbacks | $204,924,910 |
| 14 | Baltimore Orioles | $201,533,666 |
| 15 | Texas Rangers | $200,101,666 |
| 16 | Los Angeles Angels | $187,032,689 |
| 17 | Kansas City Royals | $181,725,858 |
| 18 | Seattle Mariners | $181,197,833 |
| 19 | Cincinnati Reds | $147,709,999 |
| 20 | Athletics | $131,917,856 |
| 21 | Milwaukee Brewers | $126,416,666 |
| 22 | Pittsburgh Pirates | $121,150,416 |
| 23 | Minnesota Twins | $118,429,380 |
| 24 | St. Louis Cardinals | $117,767,221 |
| 25 | Colorado Rockies | $105,333,095 |
| 26 | Tampa Bay Rays | $105,196,666 |
| 27 | Chicago White Sox | $103,706,666 |
| 28 | Washington Nationals | $100,976,666 |
| 29 | Cleveland Guardians | $94,747,768 |
| 30 | Miami Marlins | $78,406,666 |
Watch MLB Live on DIRECTV
Did you know DIRECTV has the most local MLB games available for fans to watch? That’s right. In fact, DIRECTV has more in-market Regional Sports Networks than DISH, YouTube TV & Hulu+ Live combined. What’s not to like?
If you love baseball and aren’t a DIRECTV customer yet, now’s the time to change that.
© 2026 Major League Baseball Properties, Inc. All rights reserved. Major League Baseball trademarks and copyrights are used with permission of Major League Baseball Properties, Inc.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which MLB team has the highest payroll in 2026?
The Los Angeles Dodgers, winner of the last two World Series, have the highest payroll of any MLB team this season.
Which MLB team has the lowest payroll in 2026?
The Miami Marlins have the lowest payroll this season.
Who is the highest paid MLB player?
Shohei Ohtani, who will be paid a total of $70 million per year for 10 years by the Los Angeles Dodgers.
DIRECTV Insider brings you our views on what’s happening in streaming, t.v., movies and sports. Companies and persons mentioned are not necessarily associated with and do not necessarily endorse DIRECTV. We will disclose sponsored content on our site when we show it to you, and some of the links on the site may be ads or affiliate links which means DIRECTV may earn compensation from your purchases.
