The Average MLB Salary Inches Up to a Record $5.34M

Major League Baseball's average salary rose 3.4% on opening day to a record $5.34 million, according to a study by the AP, which found the New York Mets topped spending at the season's start for the fourth straight year. Standout details:

• At No. 1: Mets outfielder Juan Soto is the highest-paid player for the second consecutive season at $61.9 million; he was followed by New York Yankees outfielder Cody Bellinger at $42.5 million.
• Rounding out the top five: Philadelphia pitcher Zack Wheeler and Mets third baseman Bo Bichette tied for third at $42 million. Toronto first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr. was fifth at $40.2 million, just ahead of Yankees outfielder Aaron Judge at $40 million.
• The Mets' payroll: At $352.2 million, it was just below the record $355.4 million they set in 2023 and up from $322.6 million last year. The Mets' total is more than five times that of Cleveland, the lowest-spending team at $62.3 million.
• Another biggie: The two-time defending World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers were second at $316.6 million, down from $319.5 million last year. The Dodgers' total would be $395.2 million if deals for nine players with deferred money had not been discounted to present-day value. The Mets have deals with deferred money with just three players and their total would be $360 million without discounting.
• The MLB average salary: It stood at $5,335,966, an increase from $5,160,245 at the start of last season. Payrolls include the 942 players on opening day rosters and injured lists. They do not include players on the restricted list. Six clubs had $250 million payrolls, up from four; and 10 teams had $200 million payrolls, an increase from nine. Eight teams were under $100 million, up from five.

• One note: Average and median salaries decline over the course of the season as veterans are released and replaced by younger players making closer to the minimum. MLB calculated the 2025 final average at $4.61 million and the players' association at $4.72 million.
• The breakdown: There were 519 players earning $1 million or more, the same as last year at 55%. Nineteen players earned $30 million or more, an increase of four; 74 were at $20 million, up from 66; and 168 at $10 million, down from 177. Thirty-one players made the $780,000 minimum.
• The median: Baseball's median salary, the point at which an equal number of players are above and below, rose to $1.4 million from $1.35 million and remained below the record high of $1.65 million at the start of 2015.
• Notable jumps: Detroit had the biggest increase, up $64.2 million to $206.7 million after signing pitcher Framber Valdez, re-signing Gleyber Torres with a qualifying offer, and giving a big raise to ace Tarik Skubal via arbitration. Atlanta increased by $44.1 million, and the Chicago Cubs, Toronto, and the Mets by just under $30 million.
• Notable decreases: Minnesota slashed payroll by $46.3 million from opening day last year to $96.5 million. St. Louis cut its opening day payroll from $141.5 million to $100.4 million.

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