How Mets $323.1 million payroll beats out Dodgers’ superteam

Once the New York Mets signed Juan Soto to the most lucrative MLB contract in history, their payroll continued to increased. So much so that it even surpassed the Los Angeles Dodgers.

According to Bob Nightengale of USA Today, he mentioned that the Mets $323.1 million payroll beats out the $321.3 million from the Dodgers.

Even though the latter club has more All-Stars and marquee players, they did something interesting. Most notably, the Dodgers deferred most of Shohei Ohtani’s contract.

Per season, he is making $70 million. With the deferment, he is set to make roughly $2 million. It’s been a bit perplexing for other MLB clubs, as they see it as unfair.

However, there’s nothing in the rules that says a deferment cannot happen. As a result, the Dodgers salary is a hair lower than the Mets.

New York doesn’t have a major deferment on Soto’s contract like the Dodgers do for Ohtani. In their history, the Mets deferred Bobby Bonilla’s contract. Even to this day, he is still being paid by the organization.

Funny enough, the Dodgers lead all of baseball with 13 players earning at least $10 million this season.

Mets lead the Dodgers in payroll this season

With Soto’s contract, that alone is a big contract to digest. At 15 years as well, it is a lengthy one too. However, the franchise must feel pisiveitly about him if they are not deferring the contract.

Still though, it’s not only the Dodgers who have deferred some notable contract. In the offseason, the Boston Red Sox signed Alex Bregman to a three-year, $120 million deal.

As a result, the club has $25.93 million in present-day salary obligations owed to him this year instead of $40 million. Bregman deferred $60 million of his contract, $20 million annually that will be paid from 2035-2046.

At the end of the day, Mets owner Steve Cohen isn’t afraid to spend big, if it means winning. However, just because a team spends big, doesn’t mean that it ends up with a World Series.

It’s also about how a team spends. It’s clear that the Dodgers have a leg up on the league, and the rest of the teams are following suit.

The Mets are currently 3-3 on the season, while Los Angeles is a perfect 8-0. Regardless of the records, this feels like a playoff match bound to happen if both make it.

While Soto was real about his Mets debut, the team hopes that he can turn into a superhero and find a way for his team to march to the top of the National League East.