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.
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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.
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MLB team payroll rankings 2026 from highest to lowest: Where are Dodgers?
Guess what? The
Dodgers don’t have MLB’s highest payroll !
Due to the team’s heavy use use of deferred contracts, MLB’s Labor Relations Department’s present-day salary calculations has the Mets at No. 1.
(Payrolls entering postseason)
(Brad Penner, Imagn Images via Reuters Connect)
1 / 31
MLB team payroll rankings 2026 from highest to lowest: Where are Dodgers?
Guess what? The
Dodgers don’t have MLB’s highest payroll !
Due to the team’s heavy use use of deferred contracts, MLB’s Labor Relations Department’s present-day salary calculations has the Mets at No. 1.
(Payrolls entering postseason)
(Brad Penner, Imagn Images via Reuters Connect)
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MLB team payroll rankings 2026 from highest to lowest: Where are Dodgers?
30) Cleveland Guardians — $74. 2 million
(Imagn Images via Reuters Connect)
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MLB team payroll rankings 2026 from highest to lowest: Where are Dodgers?
29) Miami Marlins — $83 million
(Imagn Images via Reuters Connect)
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MLB team payroll rankings 2026 from highest to lowest: Where are Dodgers?
28) Washington Nationals — $90.3 million
(Imagn Images via Reuters Connect)
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MLB team payroll rankings 2026 from highest to lowest: Where are Dodgers?
27) St. Louis Cardinals — $94.7 million
(Imagn Images via Reuters Connect)
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MLB team payroll rankings 2026 from highest to lowest: Where are Dodgers?
26) Chicago White Sox — $98 million
(Imagn Images via Reuters Connect)
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MLB team payroll rankings 2026 from highest to lowest: Where are Dodgers?
25) Tampa Bay Rays — $98.3 million
(Imagn Images via Reuters Connect)
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MLB team payroll rankings 2026 from highest to lowest: Where are Dodgers?
24) Athletics — $98.7 million
(Imagn Images via Reuters Connect)
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MLB team payroll rankings 2026 from highest to lowest: Where are Dodgers?
23) Pittsburgh Pirates — $107.6 million
(Imagn Images via Reuters Connect)
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MLB team payroll rankings 2026 from highest to lowest: Where are Dodgers?
22) Minnesota Twins — $109.5 million
(Imagn Images via Reuters Connect)
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MLB team payroll rankings 2026 from highest to lowest: Where are Dodgers?
21) Colorado Rockies — $117 million
(Imagn Images via Reuters Connect)
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MLB team payroll rankings 2026 from highest to lowest: Where are Dodgers?
20) Cincinnati Reds — $128.3 million
(Imagn Images via Reuters Connect)
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MLB team payroll rankings 2026 from highest to lowest: Where are Dodgers?
19) Milwaukee Brewers — $143.5 million
(Imagn Images via Reuters Connect)
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MLB team payroll rankings 2026 from highest to lowest: Where are Dodgers?
18) Kansas City Royals — $149.8 million
(Imagn Images via Reuters Connect)
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MLB team payroll rankings 2026 from highest to lowest: Where are Dodgers?
17) Baltimore Orioles — $169.2 million
(Imagn Images via Reuters Connect)
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MLB team payroll rankings 2026 from highest to lowest: Where are Dodgers?
16) Seattle Mariners — $170.5 million
(Imagn Images via Reuters Connect)
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MLB team payroll rankings 2026 from highest to lowest: Where are Dodgers?
15) Los Angeles Angels — $179.8 million
(Imagn Images via Reuters Connect)
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MLB team payroll rankings 2026 from highest to lowest: Where are Dodgers?
14) Texas Rangers — $192.5 million
(Imagn Images via Reuters Connect)
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MLB team payroll rankings 2026 from highest to lowest: Where are Dodgers?
13) Arizona Diamondbacks — $192.8 million
(Imagn Images via Reuters Connect)
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MLB team payroll rankings 2026 from highest to lowest: Where are Dodgers?
12) San Francisco Giants — $197.6 million
(Imagn Images via Reuters Connect)
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MLB team payroll rankings 2026 from highest to lowest: Where are Dodgers?
11) Detroit Tigers — $202.1 million
(Imagn Images via Reuters Connect)
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MLB team payroll rankings 2026 from highest to lowest: Where are Dodgers?
10) Boston Red Sox — $210.2 million
(Imagn Images via Reuters Connect)
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MLB team payroll rankings 2026 from highest to lowest: Where are Dodgers?
9) San Diego Padres — $223.9 million
(Imagn Images via Reuters Connect)
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MLB team payroll rankings 2026 from highest to lowest: Where are Dodgers?
8) Chicago Cubs — $248.8 million
(Imagn Images via Reuters Connect)
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MLB team payroll rankings 2026 from highest to lowest: Where are Dodgers?
7) Houston Astros — $249.5 million
(Imagn Images via Reuters Connect)
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MLB team payroll rankings 2026 from highest to lowest: Where are Dodgers?
6) Atlanta Braves — $263.9 million
(Imagn Images via Reuters Connect)
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MLB team payroll rankings 2026 from highest to lowest: Where are Dodgers?
5) Toronto Blue Jays — $275.4 million
(Imagn Images via Reuters Connect)
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MLB team payroll rankings 2026 from highest to lowest: Where are Dodgers?
4) Philadelphia Phillies — $291.7 million
(Imagn Images via Reuters Connect)
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MLB team payroll rankings 2026 from highest to lowest: Where are Dodgers?
3) New York Yankees — $305.6 million
(Imagn Images via Reuters Connect)
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MLB team payroll rankings 2026 from highest to lowest: Where are Dodgers?
2) Los Angeles Dodgers — $338 million
(Imagn Images via Reuters Connect)
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MLB team payroll rankings 2026 from highest to lowest: Where are Dodgers?
1) New York Mets — $346.8 million
(Imagn Images via Reuters Connect)
MLB payrolls 2026
Los Angeles Dodgers: $338.0 million (In the playoffs)
Atlanta: $263.9 million: In.
Milwaukee Brewers: $143.5 million: In.
Athletics: $98.7 million: Out
Tampa Bay Rays: $98.3 million. In
Cleveland Guardians: $74.2 million: In.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: MLB payrolls 2026: AL finalist Cleveland Guardians have lowest in baseball
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