Эволюция зарплат в Главной лиге бейсбола

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Major League Baseball (MLB) does not have a hard salary cap, instead employing a luxury tax which applies to teams whose total payroll exceeds certain set thresholds for a given season. Free agency did not exist in MLB prior to the end of the reserve clause in the 1970s, allowing owners before that time to wholly dictate the terms of player negotiations and resulting in significantly lower salaries. Babe Ruth, widely regarded as one of the greatest baseball players ever, earned an estimated $856,850 ($ inflation adjusted from 1934 dollars) over his entire playing career. When asked whether he thought he deserved to earn $80,000 a year ($ inflation adjusted), while the president, Herbert Hoover, had a $75,000 salary, Ruth famously remarked, "What the hell has Hoover got to do with it? Besides, I had a better year than he did." Pitcher Nolan Ryan was the first player to earn an annual salary above $1 million, signing a $4.5 million, 4 year contract with the Houston Astros in 1979. Kirby Puckett and Rickey Henderson signed the first contracts which paid an average of $3 million a year in November 1989. In 1990, Jose Canseco signed for 5 years and $23.5 million, making him the first player to earn an average of $4 million a year. It wasn't until 2010 when the MLB average salary rose above that same mark. Alex Rodriguez has signed two record breaking contracts over the course of his career. First, he signed a $252 million, 10 year contract with the Texas Rangers in December 2000 ($ inflation adjusted from 2000 dollars). Sandy Alderson called the deal "stupefying", while Sports Illustrated noted that Rodriguez's early salaries under the contract ($21 million) would be greater than the annual payroll of the entire Minnesota Twins team that year ($15.8 million). Despite this, he opted out of the remainder of his deal after the 2007 season and renegotiated a new $275 million, 10 year agreement with the Yankees, breaking his own record for the largest sports contract. Under this deal, Rodriguez also received $6 million when he tied the career home run total of Willie Mays (660), and would have received $6 million more had he tied Babe Ruth (714), Hank Aaron (755), and Barry Bonds (762), along with another $6 million for breaking Bonds' mark. The Yankees have drawn criticism for their payroll, with some claiming it undermines the parity of MLB. From 2003 2020, the Yankees' payroll exceeded the luxury tax threshold every year except 2018.

This table refers to the salary for 2023 alone, not the overall average value or amount of the contract. RankNamePositionTeam(s)SalaryRef1Max Scherzer SPTexas Rangers$43,333,333Justin VerlanderHouston Astros3Aaron Judge OFNew York Yankees $40,000,0004Anthony Rendon 3BLos Angeles Angels $38,571,4285Mike TroutCF$37,116,6666Gerrit Cole SPNew York Yankees$36,000,0007Corey SeagerSSTexas Rangers$35,500,0008Nolan Arenado3BSt. Louis Cardinals$35,025,0009Stephen StrasburgSPWashington Nationals$35,000,00010Francisco LindorSSNew York Mets$34,100,000

Earnings up to date as of the end of the 2023 season. Name Team(s) Position Years Earnings Ref Seattle MarinersTexas RangersNew York Yankees SS, 3B 1994–2016 $445,159,552 Florida MarlinsDetroit Tigers 1B 2003–2023 $385,188,684 Detroit TigersHouston AstrosNew York Mets SP 2006–Present $350,921,555 St. Louis CardinalsLos Angeles AngelsLos Angeles Dodgers 1B, OF, DH 2001–2022 $341,810,741 Kansas City RoyalsMilwaukee BrewersLos Angeles AngelsLos Angeles DodgersArizona DiamondbacksHouston Astros SP 2004–Present $303,474,948 Los Angeles Dodgers SP 2009–Present $291,176,411 New York Yankees SS 1995–2014 $266,315,981 Cleveland IndiansMilwaukee BrewersNew York Yankees SP 2001–2019 $263,500,000 Arizona DiamondbacksDetroit TigersWashington NationalsLos Angeles DodgersNew York MetsTexas RangersSP2008–Present $256,241,666 New York YankeesSeattle MarinersNew York MetsSan Diego PadresAtlanta Braves 2B, DH 2005–2022 $252,057,791

"Earnings" as discussed here refers to salaries paid to players under MLB contracts and does not include advertising or other sources of income. All values are listed in nominal dollars. "Average annual value" is calculated as the total value of a contract (less bonuses) divided by the number of years. A $20 million/2 year contract would have an average annual value of $10 million, even if the player actually received $9 million one season and $11 million in the other. This also does not include contracts for less than a season prorated in value for a full season such as Roger Clemens' 2006 and 2007 contracts. All values are listed in nominal dollars. Dave Winfield initially negotiated a 10 year deal in 1980 worth a projected $25 million ($2.5 million per year). Hershiser and Frank Viola both won the 1988 Cy Young Award and Viola signed an identically sized $7.9 million, 3 year contract two months after Hershiser. Rickey Henderson signed a $12 million, 4 year contract with the Oakland Athletics on November 28, 1989, 6 days after Puckett signed his $9 million, 3 year contract. Roger Clemens signed a contract extension during the 2000 season covering 2001 and 2002 along with a player option for 2003. Clemens was paid $10.3 million each year for 2001 and 2002, with the same $10.3 million available if he elected to play in 2003 under his option. However, Clemens also received $10.3 million if he rejected the option. As a result, he could effectively collect the full $30.9 million of contract value for only two years of play ($15.45 million annually). However, the Yankees valued this deal as a $10.3 million annually, three year deal. Shohei Ohtani signed a $700 million 10 year contract with the Dodgers. Ohtani will receive $2 million a year for ten years and then $68 million a year for the following ten years. Because of this, the present value AAV is lower than the $70 million he'd otherwise earn if there were no deferrals.