MLB payrolls 2026: AL finalist Cleveland Guardians have lowest in baseball

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 Ame

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What is the story about?

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.

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.