One of the three teams left standing in the 2026 Major League Baseball season, the Cleveland Guardians have the game's smallest payroll at $74.2 million.
Ranking 30th out of MLB's 30 teams in payroll, the Guardians are in the postseason for the third year in a row and making a second trip to the American League Championship Series in three years. In this ALCS, they're facing the Tampa Bay Rays – whose $98.3 million is 25th.
The winner of this series will face the Milwaukee Brewers (No. 19) in the World Series beginning on Friday, Oct 23. Milwaukee dispatched the Los Angeles Dodgers – whose $338 million payroll is more than the other three semifinalists combined – in the NL Championship Series.
The payroll figures obtained by USA TODAY Sports are the MLB Labor Relations Department's present-day salary calculation. The LRD numbers include the player’s actual salary plus his pro-rated signing bonus options – and the Dodgers' heavy use of deferrals and bonuses is why the New York Mets have the highest payroll according to these metrics.
MLB payrolls 2026
- New York Mets: $346.8 million (out of the playoffs)
- Los Angeles Dodgers: $338.0 million (In the playoffs)
- New York Yankees: $304.6 million: In.
- Philadelphia Phillies: $291.7 million: In.
- Toronto Blue Jays: $275.4 million: Out.
- Atlanta: $263.9 million: In.
- Houston Astros: $249.5 million: In.
- Chicago Cubs: $248.8 million: In
- San Diego Padres: $223.9 million: In.
- Boston Red Sox: $210.2 million: In
- Detroit Tigers: $202.1 million: Out
- San Francisco Giants: $197.6 million: Out.
- Arizona Diamondbacks: $192.8 million: Out.
- Texas Rangers: $192.5 million: Out.
- Los Angeles Angels: $179.8 million: Out.
- Seattle Mariners: $170.5 million: Out.
- Baltimore Orioles: $169.2 million: Out
- Kansas City Royals: $149.8 million: Out.
- Milwaukee Brewers: $143.5 million: In.
- Cincinnati Reds: $128.3 million: Out
- Colorado Rockies: $117.0 million: Out
- Minnesota Twins: $109.5 million: Out
- Pittsburgh Pirates: $107.6 million: Out.
- Athletics: $98.7 million: Out
- Tampa Bay Rays: $98.3 million. In
- Chicago White Sox: $98.0 million: In
- St. Louis Cardinals: $94.7 million: Out.
- Washington Nationals: $90.3 million: Out.
- Miami Marlins: $83.0 million: Out.
- Cleveland Guardians: $74.2 million: In.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: MLB payrolls 2026: AL finalist Cleveland Guardians have lowest in baseball