SCOTTSDALE — During a time of discourse around the spending disparity in Major League Baseball, the Arizona Diamondbacks have received credit for not backing down this offseason.
The D-backs through acquiring Corbin Burnes and Josh Naylor, extending Geraldo Perdomo and maintaining most of a roster that came inches from October baseball have drawn postseason expectations and strong grades from national outlets.
Strikingly, they have committed to spending the third-most dollars of the offseason, trailing the Los Angeles Dodgers and New York Mets, per Spotrac.
MLBPA director and former Diamondback Tony Clark credited the club for its effort to compete at a time when many others outside the top markets have attempted to make more with less.
“There are a few teams that seem to be getting the headlines, but there are a number of teams, including this one here in Arizona, that went out and improved their club. And we tip our hat to clubs that are interested and willing to do that,” Clark told Arizona Sports ahead of Tuesday’s Players Trust Playmakers Classic, an event to raise funds for youth sports.
“They were one of the last two teams standing a couple of years ago, and recognizing they have the quality of the ballclub they do, being able to add a couple of pieces can make a huge difference. We are excited when teams do that, whether you’re a big market or a small market or you’re somewhere in between.
“The truth is, as the industry itself continues to grow and sets records from a revenue standpoint and an attendance standpoint, there is an opportunity for every team to find themselves being the last team standing, if they’re interested in doing so.”
MLBPA executive director Tony Clark "tips his cap" to the Diamondbacks' offseason and push for a postseason spot. pic.twitter.com/JS5ZqANJuj
— Arizona Sports (@AZSports) February 18, 2025
MLB generated a record $12.1 billion in gross revenue last year, according to Forbes, although most clubs have cut down on payroll costs this offseason while the top has taken advantage.
The Dodgers have committed to over $500 million in contracts while the Mets surpassed $1 billion thanks to the Juan Soto deal.
Including free agency, international free agency and arbitration-eligible players, Arizona has committed $300 million, according to Spotrac. Much of that comes from Burnes’ $210 million contract. The payroll is projected at a club record $195 million, which ranks 13th in MLB, per FanGraphs.
There have been times in the not-so-distant past when Arizona had bottom five payrolls, most recently in 2022. But the club sees an opportunity to invest in the core that took them to a World Series, benefitting from 2023 playoff revenue and the 2024 attendance boost with expectations to draw more fans and revenue.
Worrying about how other teams spend their money, namely the Dodgers, has not been an outcry from the Diamondbacks. Manager Torey Lovullo said his message is to embrace the competition.
“We really only have to worry about ourselves,” team president and CEO Derrick Hall told Arizona Sports’ Bickley & Marotta on Tuesday. “It’s the same Dodgers and very similar payroll we competed against two years ago when we went to the World Series. You just got to take care of your own business.
“They’re generating a lot of revenue and they put it back into the product on the field. They also develop well, they scout well, they’re a really good organization. If we had those kind of revenues, we’d spend it too. We really would. I’m very happy with what we do with our means, and we are stretching it as much as we can.”
MLB payroll disparity is in the spotlight with the Dodgers leading the way
MLB commissioner Rob Manfred took the podium at Cactus League Media Day on Tuesday and faced various questions regarding the Dodgers and competitive balance.
Los Angeles has a 2025 projected payroll of $389 million, while more than half of the league is not projected to spend half of that on their rosters. The Miami Marlins at the bottom have a projected payroll of $70 million, 18% of L.A.’s.
Manfred said Tuesday that he’s received droves of emailed complaints from fans regarding fairness. At the same time, he credited the Dodgers for having built within the rules, saying the system should receive more scrutiny than the club.
“It certainly is at the top of my list of concerns about what’s going on in the sport,” Manfred said.
MLB commissioner Rob Manfred addresses payroll disparity and the Dodgers, saying the system deserves the criticism, not the team. pic.twitter.com/1BUJZXs1JH
— Arizona Sports (@AZSports) February 18, 2025
There has not been a repeat champion since the “Evil Empire” New York Yankees from 1998-2000, although Manfred said the Dodgers are “probably more profitable” and therefore perhaps more sustainable.
A topic that trends quite often is that baseball does not carry a salary cap, something owners would be happy to implement. The MLBPA has fought for decades to keep that out of the game for being against the best interest of players.
“There’s a reason why the league has wanted a salary cap for decades, and there’s a reason why we’ve resisted it for decades,” Clark said. “It is not in the best interest of players. It is in the best interest of ownership. Now we found ourselves in an industry that, despite not having it, has continued to grow.”
MLBPA sees player involvement in negotiations
The current Collective Bargaining Agreement expires after the 2026 season.
While there are two more seasons to be played before then, these surfacing concerns draw attention to the process from fans and players alike. There was a lockout during the previous CBA discussion.
Clark explained there is player engagement throughout an agreement, from young big leaguers breaking out to veterans wanting to brush up before negotiations.
“Whether you are sprinting toward the expiration of our agreement or you’re just starting one, there is involvement,” Clark said.
“What’s important is every time we get in front of players and we connect with players to ensure that they are equipped and as educated as they can be, provide them as much information as possible about what’s trending in the game and what concerns we’re seeing, while at the same time asking them what it is that they’re seeing.”
MLBPA representatives visited the Diamondbacks at Salt River Fields on Tuesday.
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