LA Dodgers Rumors: Payroll Passes $307 Million, Dodgers Become First MLB Team To Hit That Mark
LA Dodgers rumors state that the team payroll just passed $307 million. These Dodgers rumors follow the trade for Chase Utley, who adds another $2 million to the salaries the front office has to pay during the 2015 MLB season. A report from Deadspin relays the shocking numbers, even though the Philadelphia Phillies agreed to pay $4 million of the remaining $6 million that Utley is owed. It makes the Dodgers’ payroll the highest in MLB history, far surpassing marks that the New York Yankees had set.
The Dodgers seem to have an unlimited supply of money when it comes to paying contracts, with the team close to spending $250 million more than the Arizona Diamondbacks this year. To further put it into perspective, the Houston Astros opened the 2015 MLB season with a $69 million payroll. The Dodgers have spent more than four times as much money, and a lot of it is going to players not even on the 25-man roster.
A recent report from USA Today listed all the salaries that the Dodgers have to pay this season to players not on the team. These are the type of LA Dodgers rumors that can frustrate fans, especially since the money has essentially been wasted. Among the notable names getting paid by the Dodgers, Matt Kemp leads the way with $18 million this season. Others include Brian Wilson ($10 million), Dan Haren ($10 million), and Brandon League ($9.5 million).
As previously reported by the Inquisitr, the most recent deal the Dodgers gave Clayton Kershaw pays him $31 million for the 2015 MLB season. Other players on the active roster making a lot of money include Zack Greinke ($27 million), Adrian Gonzalez ($21.9 million), and Carl Crawford ($21.4 million). Those salaries don’t even include bonuses for performance, making the All-Star Game, or winning player awards during the season. Taking benefits into account, it’s no surprise that many MLB analysts are calling this spending “absurd.”
The 2015 Dodgers’ payroll has garnered them the fourth best record in the National League and a first place standing in the NL West. Despite spending more than $307 million (so far), the team is also just two games ahead of the San Francisco Giants. It would be pretty embarrassing for the franchise if it fell out of a playoff spot while being the first team to ever spend more than $300 million on season salaries. Fresh LA Dodgers rumors even indicate that the team isn’t done pursuing deals before the August 31 deadline, suggesting payroll could still go higher.
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