NEW YORK — Major League Baseball’s average salary rose 14.8% to a record $4.22 million last year after the end of the lockout, boosted by big deals for Max Scherzer, Francisco Lindor, Marcus Semien and Corey Seager.

The rate of increase was the highest since a 17.7% increase in 2000 to $1.61 million, according to final calculations by the players’ association.

The average had dropped in each of the previous four seasons before 2022, sparking player anger that was expressed by the union during a 99-day lockout that ended last March.

Last year’s average salary was calculated by the union at $4,222,193, up from $3,679,335 in 2021. MLB, which uses a slightly different method, calculated the average at $4,117,472, up 15% from $3,579,341 in 2021.

Payrolls, a more complete reflection on spending, rose 12.6% to $4.56 billion from $4.05 billion.

Salaries have escalated higher this past offseason. The Mets have boosted their payroll to a projected $370 million, well past the previous record of $297.9 million of the 2015 Los Angeles Dodgers.

Some owners are arguing for significant change to lessen payroll disparity when the current labor contract expires after the 2026 season, and MLB this month established another committee to examine economics.

“History would suggest that an economic committee … is really hyperfocused on a salary cap – or getting to a salary cap when we next sit down to negotiate,” union head Tony Clark said Saturday.

“We’re never going to agree to a cap. Let me start there. We don’t have a cap, we’re not going to agree to a cap,” Clark added. “A salary cap is the ultimate restriction on player value and player salary. We believe in a market system. The market system has served our players, our teams and our game very well.”

Clark suggested some teams maintain low payrolls as strategy rather than because of lack of revenue.

“The product on the field does well, fans come to the ballpark. Fans come to the ballpark, local revenue increase in all facets. That model has served our industry remarkably well,” he said. “Can or won’t is a valid question to ask when teams in an industry that has grown are still in a world where their payrolls are half of what they may have been 10 or 15 years ago.”

Manfred has said MLB had $10.8 billion in revenue last year. Clark praised the active free-agent market.

“What is interesting is the comments finding into the way into the headlines against the backdrop of a remarkably exciting offseason, where teams competing and engaging in the free-agent market created a level of excitement that I would think is a positive,” Clark said.

Figures are based on the 1,043 players on active rosters and injured lists as of Aug. 31, the last day before active rosters expanded from 26 to 28. The union’s average includes prorated shares of option buyouts, which MLB does not.

Neither side included the $50 million bonus pool for pre-arbitration-eligible players.

RED SOX: Jarren Duran went 2 for 2 with a double and a home run in Boston’s 4-1 spring training win over the Minnesota Twins in Fort Myers, Florida.

Alex Verdugo also had two hits for Boston.

Kutter Crawford started and pitched two scoreless innings for the Red Sox. He allowed two hits, struck out two and didn’t walk a batter.

BLUE JAYS: Former Houston Astros general manager James Click was hired by the Toronto Blue Jays as vice president of baseball strategy.

Click, 45, helped build the Houston teams that went to three straight AL Championship Series and back-to-back World Series, winning it all last year. But he clashed with owner Jim Crane, and the Astros announced six days after clinching the title that he would not be back.

It’s believed to be the first time a World Series-winning GM did not return since 1947, when the Yankees’ Larry MacPhail was replaced by George Weiss.

The Blue Jays said Click will work closely with GM Ross Atkins across both professional and amateur levels.

ASTROS: Houston’s star infielders Jose Altuve and former University of Maine shortstop Jeremy Peña made their exhibition season debuts in a 4-3 loss to the Marlins in West Palm Beach, Florida. Both were hitless in three at-bats apiece, but they turned a double play in the fourth.

Peña batted .345 in the postseason last year, and was the first rookie position player to win the World Series MVP. He also won a Gold Glove and was the AL Championship Series MVP.

Astros Manager Dusty Baker said he hopes to play Altuve and Peña together as much as possible during spring training before the World Baseball Classic starts in March. Altuve will play for Venezuela, and Peña will play for the Dominican Republic.

“Those guys, they have to really know each other,” Baker said. “Especially now, going back to the new defenses, they really have to know the range of each guy and where they are on double plays.”

RAYS: Pitcher Tyler Glasnow threw just six pitches before cutting short a live batting practice session with an abdominal muscle injury, the Tampa Bay Times reported. The paper said he will have an MRI on Tuesday.

CARDINALS: Manager Oliver Marmol and umpire C.B. Bucknor shook hands when lineup cards were exchanged before the game, a day after Bucknor refused to.

“I was raised and brought up this organization to do exactly what I did today,” Marmol said. “You go to home plate. You hand the lineup card and you shake the hands of the four umpires who are running that game.”

The bad blood dates back to a game last year when Bucknor ejected Marmol and the manager said Bucknor had “no class.”

Copy the Story Link

« Previous

Basketball: Southern Maine teams head to state finals with Gold Balls at stake

Next »

NHL roundup: Maple Leafs acquire forward, defenseman from Blackhawks