In fact, other than Arizona, no team outside the top 16 in payroll won a playoff game. The Minnesota Twins at number 16 won one. To find another playoff victory, you'd have to climb all the way up to the top ten to the Atlanta Braves, who also won one.
This year's final four - the Texas Rangers and Houston Astros squaring off in the American League, and the Philadelphia Phillies and Arizona Diamondbacks dueling in the National League - has three of those top seven teams in payroll with a remainder of one massive underdog.
According to the reliable salary website Spotrac, The Rangers have baseball's 4th highest payroll, the Phillies 5th, the Astros are 7th and the Diamondbacks are... 21st.
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| The D-Backs Did It! |
Rangers
2023 Payroll: $251,332,754 (4th)
Luxury Tax: YES (by ~$18.3 million)
"Big" Free Agent Signings (>$10 million annually):
- Martin Perez ($19.7 million) *original Ranger re-signed in free agency
- Nathan Eovaldi ($18.6 million)
- Jon Gray ($15 million)
- Andrew Heaney ($12 million)
"Huge" Free Agent Signings (>$20 million annually):
- Corey Seager ($35 million) *7th highest-paid in MLB **10-year, $325 million deal is 3rd highest in MLB history
- Jacob deGrom ($30 million) *injured **T-15th highest-paid in MLB
- Marcus Semien ($26 million) *T-23rd highest-paid in MLB
Blockbuster Trade Acquisitions (>$10 million annually):
- Max Scherzer (~$23 million with Mets contributing) *actual $43.3 million salary is T-1st in MLB **acquired at trade deadline for top prospect Luisangel Acuna (yes, his brother)
Regular Trade Acquisitions (<$10 million annually):
- Nathaniel Lowe ($4 million) *acquired from Rays in December 2020
- Mitch Garver ($3.9 million) *acquired from Twins for Isiah Kiner-Falefa in March 2022
- Jordan Montgomery ($3.4 million) *acquired from Cardinals at trade deadline
- Aroldis Chapman ($1.9 million) *acquired from Royals prior to trade deadline for Cole Ragans
- Austin Hedges ($1.6 million) *acquired from Pirates at trade deadline
- Chris Stratton ($948,402) *acquired from Cardinals at trade deadline
- Jonah Heim ($745,660) *acquired from A's in Elvis Andrus-Khris Davis swap in February 2021
- Dane Dunning ($742,840) *acquired from White Sox for Lance Lynn in December 2020
- Josh Sborz ($733,450) *acquired from Dodgers in February 2021
- Josh Smith ($727,095) *acquired from Yankees in Joey Gallo trade in July 2021
Waiver Claims: N/A
Homegrown Players:
- Josh Jung *FanGraphs 20th overall prospect entering 2023
- Jose Leclerc
- Leody Taveras *22nd ranked international prospect in 2015 (Juan Soto was 25th for those scoring at home)
- Jonathan Hernandez *injured
- Evan Carter *rookie **MLB.com 8th overall prospect
- Cody Bradford *rookie
Astros
2023 Payroll: $237,107,748 (7th)
Luxury Tax: YES (by ~$4.1 million)
"Big" Free Agent Signings: (>$10 million annually):
- Jose Abreu ($19.5 million)
- Michael Brantley ($12 million)
- Rafael Montero ($11.9 million)
"Huge" Free Agent Signings: (>$20 million annually): NONE
Blockbuster Trade Acquisitions ($>10 million annually):
- Justin Verlander (~$23 million with Mets contributing) *actual $43.3 million salary is T-1st in MLB **acquired at trade deadline for top prospect Drew Gilbert and Ryan Clifford
- Ryan Pressley ($14 million) *acquired from Twins in July 2018
Regular Trade Acquisitions ($<10 million annually):
- Yordan Alvarez ($7.8 million) *acquired from Dodgers in August 2016 for Josh Fields (yeah, I know)
- Kendall Graveman ($2.8 million) *injured **acquired at trade deadline from White Sox
- Phil Maton ($2.6 million) *acquired from Guardians in July 2021 for Myles Straw
- Mauricio Dubon ($1.4 million) *acquired from Giants in May 2022
- Yainer Diaz ($720,300) *rookie **acquired from Guardians in July 2021 for Myles Straw
Waiver Claims: N/A
Homegrown Players:
- Alex Bregman *2nd overall pick in 2015 (compensation for not signing 2014 1st overall pick Brady Aiken) **14th highest-paid player in MLB
- Jose Altuve *2016 and 2017 AL MVP **17th highest-paid player in MLB
- Framber Valdez
- Kyle Tucker *5th overall pick in 2015
- Cristian Javier
- Jose Urquidy
- Jeremy Pena *5th in 2022 AL Rookie of the Year voting
- Chas McCormick
- Bryan Abreu
- Hunter Brown
- J.P France
- Grae Kessinger
- Lance McCullers Jr. *injured
- Ronel Blanco
- Luis Garcia *injured
Phillies
2023 Payroll: $245,419,295 (5th)
Luxury Tax: YES (by ~$12.5 million)
"Big" Free Agent Signings (>$10 million annually):
- Taijuan Walker ($18 million)
- Craig Kimbrel ($10 million)
"Huge" Free Agent Signings (>$20 million annually):
- Bryce Harper ($27.5 million) *13-year, $330 million deal is 2nd highest in MLB history
- Trea Turner ($27.3 million) *second $300 million contract on the team (the Yankees have three)
- Zack Wheeler ($24.5 million) *31st highest-paid player in MLB
- Nick Castellanos ($20 million) *T-50th highest-paid player in MLB
- Kyle Schwarber ($20 million) *T-50th highest-paid player in MLB
Blockbuster Trade Acquisitions (>$10 million annually):
- J.T. Realmuto ($23.9 million) *acquired from Marlins in February 2019 for top prospect Sixto Sanchez, two others and bonus money **34th highest-paid player in MLB
Regular Trade Acquisitions ($<10 million annually):
- Gregory Soto ($3.9 million) *acquired from Tigers in January 2023
- Michael Lorenzen ($2.8 million) *acquired from Tigers at trade deadline
- Edmundo Sosa ($950,000) *acquired from Cardinals in July 2022
- Garrett Stubbs ($741,000) *acquired from Astros in November 2021
- Brandon Marsh ($734,500) *acquired from Angels in August 2022 for top prospect Logan O'Hoppe
- Cristian Pache ($720,000) *acquired from A's in March 2023
- Cristopher Sanchez ($510,638) *acquired from Rays in November 2019 for Curtis Mead
Waiver Claims
- Jake Cave (2022)
Homegrown Players:
- Aaron Nola *7th overall pick in 2014
- Ranger Suarez
- Seranthony Dominguez
- Alec Bohm *3rd overall pick in 2018
- Bryson Stott *14th overall pick in 2019
- Johan Rojas
- Orion Kerkering
- Rhys Hoskins *injured
Diamondbacks
2023 Payroll: $119,257,651 (21st)
Luxury Tax: Not even close (under by ~$113.7 million)
"Big" Free Agent Signings: (>$10 million annually):
- Madison Bumgarner ($18 million) *released in April
"Huge" Free Agent Signings: (>$20 million annually): NONE
Blockbuster Trade Acquisitions (>$10 million annually):
- Nick Ahmed ($10.6 million) *released in September **acquired from Braves in January 2013
Regular Trade Acquisitions (<$10 million annually):
- Lourdes Gurriel Jr. ($5.8 million) *acquired from Blue Jays in December 2022 for Daulton Varsho
- Zac Gallen ($5.6 million) *acquired from Marlins in July 2019 for Jasrado "Jazz" Chisholm Jr.
- Tommy Pham ($1.6 million) *acquired from Mets at trade deadline
- Paul Sewald ($1.4 million) *acquired from Mariners at trade deadline
- Gabriel Moreno ($722,500) *acquire from Blue Jays in December 2022 for Daulton Varsho
- Emmanuel Rivera ($538,069) *acquired from Royals in August 2022
Waiver Claims
- Christian Walker (2017)
Homegrown Players:
- Corbin Carroll *16th overall pick in 2019
- Geraldo Perdomo
- Kevin Ginkel
- Ryne Nelson
- Alek Thomas
- Brandon Pfaadt *FanGraphs 23rd overall prospect entering 2023
- Luis Frias
- Jose Herrera *7th ranked international prospect in 2013 (Rafael Devers was 6th)
- Slade Cecconi
- Andrew Saalfrank
- Jordan Lawlar *6th overall pick in 2021
- Pavin Smith *7th overall pick in 2017
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| Look what I did with poor Cleveland by writing a few big checks! |
