For the first time since 1998, the New York Yankees will not have the largest payroll in baseball. That honor now belongs to the Los Angeles Dodgers at the whooping price of $235 million.

NL East Season Preview

The historic spending sprees that have happened over the past few offseasons have the average MLB salary nearing $4 million for the first time in baseball history. The Dodgers are a very distant first place with their $235 million pay roll followed by the Yankees at $204 million. The top five payrolls round out with Philadelphia at $180 million, Boston at $163 million and Detroit at $162 million. The Houston Astros have the MLB’s smallest payroll at $45 million which is up from last season’s $27 million.

The Yankees would have been close to the Dodgers if not for the $25 million they saved from Alex Rodriguez being suspended the entire 2014 season. The Dodgers now have the honor of having the leagues highest paid player in Zack Greinke who will make $24 million in the second season of his $147 million, six-year deal.

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Some bigger market teams that choose not to spend money recently include New York Mets and Chicago Cubs who are at $89 million, ranked 22nd and 23rd. The massive differences in payroll begs the question if baseball should have a salary cap. I am in favor of a cap just because the money will never stop increasing in baseball until it reaches a critical point. Mike Trout and Bryce Harper are the next generation of stars and the rumored deals connected to them have them at $30 million a year. The time is now for baseball to consider a cap. The new commissioner has his work cut out for him.

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