The
Marlins were the most cost-efficient team in baseball this year – spending a
mere $859,000 per win – the only team under $1 million.
The
least-efficient: the big-spending Mets, who spent $4.1 million per win – and
still faltered against the Marlins in the final weekend of the season to miss
the playoffs.
For
those who did get into the post-season, the most efficient were the Guardians, who
got into the first round with $1.14 million per win (MPW). The smartest spending
came from the small-market Brewers, who paid $1.25 MPW million per win and made
it all the way to the National League championship.
This
is my eighth year measuring costs per win. I use Spotrac for salaries, because
they measure all expenses, including injured and “buried,” meaning players
getting paid who are now longer with the club. The Marlins, for example, paid
the long-gone Avisail Garcia $12 million this year and the invisible Wu-Suk Go
$2.75 million. (Next year, the Fish will start giving the Yankees $10 million annually
to help pay for Giancarlo Stanton.)
Last
year, four of the first seven most efficient teams made the playoffs. This
year, it was three of the first eight – Guardians, Brewers and Reds.
Smart
spending can get a team into the playoffs, but when it comes to going all the
way, big bucks still pave the way for ultimate victory. The last time a
small-market team won a World Series was 2015 with the Royals.
This
year, the super-charged Dodgers have the highest payroll in baseball: $350.3
million. They spent $3.8 MPW – three times as much as the Brewers. The four
starting pitchers they used to beat Milwaukee earned $93.3 million (and this number
was artificially low because I counted only half of Otani’s $28.2 million he
received, a misleading number since most of his contract is deferred far into
the future.) Five teams’ total payroll was less than the Dodgers’ starters.
The
Bluejay weren’t cheapskates. Their $255 million was seventh highest in the
majors. They spent almost $1 million more per win than the Mariners did during
the regular season.
Of
course, it doesn’t take a lot of front-office talent to have a small payroll
and lose a lot of games: The Pirates and the A’s are notable examples. Still,
they don’t compare with the Rockies, who managed a meager 43 wins despite
having a middle-level payroll. Each Colorado win cost $3 million – the same as
the big-bucks Phillies.
Then
there are teams who are dreadfully inefficient over many seasons. The Angels
lead this list. They spend a lot of money every season, but they haven’t been
in the playoffs since 2014, when they were swept by the Royals in the first
round. This year, the Angels spent $2.8 MPW – more than twice the Brewers’
rate. In fact, nine teams made the post-season by spending less per win than
the Angels.
What
about the Rays? For my first six years, they made the playoffs with tiny
salaries – often leading in cost per win. But they’ve now missed the
post-season two years in a row. In 2025, they had fewer wins than the resurgent
Marlins.
The
Orioles too have been sliding downhill – wins declining, costs going up. This
year, 14 teams were more efficient.
What
to make of the Braves? They were awful this year – with fewer wins than the
Marlins although their payroll was three times as much. Atlanta blamed injuries
– and they had a lot. Players on the injured list cost them $68 million,
according to Spotrac, but the successful Bluejays spent $70 million on injured
players. The underachieving Rangers led that category with $103 million
injured. All three of these teams spent more on injured than the Marlins did on
their total payroll.
Here's
the complete list. Playoff teams in bold face.
|
TEAMS |
PAYROLL |
WINS |
WINS/$ |
|
MILLIONS |
|||
|
Marlins |
67.9 |
79 |
0.85 |
|
A's |
79.1 |
76 |
1.04 |
|
Rays |
87.6 |
77 |
1.14 |
|
Guardians |
100.4 |
88 |
1.14 |
|
Pirates |
84.4 |
71 |
1.19 |
|
Brewers |
121.7 |
97 |
1.25 |
|
White Sox |
78.8 |
60 |
1.31 |
|
Reds |
119.5 |
83 |
1.43 |
|
Royals |
136.3 |
82 |
1.66 |
|
Nationals |
110 |
66 |
1.68 |
|
Cardinals |
131.2 |
78 |
1.68 |
|
Tigers |
157.6 |
87 |
1.81 |
|
Mariners |
164.5 |
90 |
1.83 |
|
Twins |
131.3 |
70 |
1.88 |
|
Orioles |
159.5 |
75 |
2.12 |
|
Giants |
178.3 |
81 |
2.2 |
|
Dbacks |
179 |
80 |
2.24 |
|
Red Sox |
200.9 |
89 |
2.25 |
|
Cubs |
211.9 |
92 |
2.3 |
|
Padres |
216.8 |
90 |
2.41 |
|
Astros |
232.9 |
87 |
2.68 |
|
Bluejays |
255.3 |
94 |
2.72 |
|
Rangers |
226 |
81 |
2.79 |
|
Angels |
206.7 |
72 |
2.87 |
|
Braves |
218.8 |
76 |
2.88 |
|
Rockies |
128.6 |
43 |
2.99 |
|
Phillies |
290.3 |
96 |
3.02 |
|
Yankees |
305.2 |
94 |
3.24 |
|
Dodgers |
350.3 |
93 |
3.77 |
|
Mets |
342.4 |
83 |
4.12 |
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