MLB teams with top three payrolls are among final four in 2024 playoffs, but does it mean anything?

Once the Los Angeles Dodgers punched their ticket to the League Championship Series, payroll figures started circulating very heavily on social media. As they joined the New York Mets and New York Yankees in the bracket — in this, a major professional sport without a salary cap — the narrative was going to be popular. 

MLB teams have to spend to win. 

After all, just look at the remaining teams fighting for the piece of metal World Series trophy. Here’s how they rank in final 2024 payroll, via Cot’s Contracts: 

1. Mets
2. Dodgers
3. Yankees
21. Guardians

Also keep in mind the Braves were fourth, Phillies fifth and the Astros seventh. The Padres ranked 11th. All playoff teams, all big spenders.

Spending certainly helps, obviously. It would be ignorant to claim otherwise. Sometimes, we should be urging lower-scale payroll teams to spend more in an attempt to win. Let’s discuss the Royals and Pirates to illustrate. 

The Royals lost 106 games last season and had the 26th-highest payroll. They went out and looked to improve their ballclub this season and several ways, including by spending a little bit in free agency on players like starting pitchers Seth Lugo and Michael Wacha. They ended up in the ALDS this season. 

The Pirates were 76-86 last season and playing in a division in 2024 that so many people thought would be wide open. They went from 28th in payroll to 25th. They went 76-86 again.

Spending more isn’t the only thing, though. 

Look at the Mets. Yes, they have the top payroll in baseball, but more than $56 million of that is in dead money to players like Max Scherzer, Justin Verlander and James McCann. Having the gigantic resources available from ownership (Steve Cohen) and a willingness to do so means the Mets can make big mistakes with contracts and just eat the money and move on. Front offices with many other ownership groups can’t or don’t make that choice.

On the other end, the Tigers ranked low in payroll but the active roster is even lower. They paid Miguel Cabrera $8 million this season and the late playoff push was done without highest-paid player Javier Báez, who is making $25 million this year. The lesser-compensated players on the team overcame this. 

Some other items worth remembering: 

• The Brewers ranked 20th in payroll and were the No. 3 seed in the NL. The Royals (18th) and Orioles (23rd) faced each other in the playoffs. As noted above, the Tigers ranked 28th in payroll and they made the ALDS. 
• The Rangers, Giants, Cubs and Blue Jays had top-10 payrolls and missed the playoffs. 
• Last season, the Rangers ranked eighth and won the World Series. The Diamondbacks ranked 19th and won the NL pennant. The Mets, Yankees and Padres ranked 1-2-3, respectively, and all missed the playoffs. While this year shouldn’t make us proclaim that having the biggest payrolls means you’ll necessarily advance deep into the playoffs, we would’ve been just as ignorant to look at last season and say it’s better to not have the huge payrolls.

What’s the conclusion? There isn’t really an overarching one from this postseason. It’s a continuation of the reality that is Major League Baseball. Many of the teams could be spending more on payroll and some of the ones that spend a lot don’t do it as smartly as they could.

Mostly, though, any definitive declaration about spending is going to miss the mark in some fashion.