REPORT: World Series champion Dodgers top MLB luxury tax at $103 million as record 9 teams owe penalty

The Los Angeles Dodgers topped a record nine teams owing Major League Baseball’s luxury tax this year with an unprecedented $103 million penalty, and the $97.1 million bill for the New York Mets raises their tax total under high-spending owner Steve Cohen to nearly $229 million.

World Series champion Dodgers top MLB luxury tax at $103 million as record 9 teams owe penalty

The World Series champion Dodgers will pay a tax for the fourth year in a row. The Dodgers’ tax payroll of $353 million included $1,032,454 in non-cash compensation for Shohei Ohtani, whose contract calls for use of a suite for games at Dodger Stadium and an interpreter.

The Yankees owe $62.5 million, according to figures finalized Friday by Major League Baseball and the players’ association and obtained by The Associated Press. They were followed by Philadelphia ($14.4 million), Atlanta ($14 million), Texas ($10.8 million), Houston ($6.5 million), San Francisco ($2.4 million) and the Chicago Cubs ($570,000).

The total tax of $311.3 million topped the previous high of $209.8 million last year, when eight teams paid. Tax money is due to MLB by Jan. 21.

More than $1 billion in taxes have been collected since the penalty started in 2003, with 15 teams paying $1.23 billion. The Yankees lead at $452 million, followed by the Dodgers at $350 million and the Mets.

Toronto, with a series of summer trades, cut its tax payroll to $233.9 million, under the $237 million threshold. The Blue Jays started the season projected at $244.3 million.

Chicago went just over the threshold at $239.85 million.

The Mets dropped their luxury tax payroll from last year’s record $374.7 million to $347.7 million and cut their tax from last year’s then-record $100.8 million. The Dodgers, Mets and Yankees ($316.2 million) were the only teams exceeding the fourth threshold, added in the 2022 labor contract and nicknamed the Cohen Tax in an initiative aimed at slowing his spending.

Among teams paying the tax, the Giants, Rangers and Cubs missed the playoffs.

Total spending on luxury tax payrolls rose 2.3% to $5.924 billion from $5.793 billion last year.

Tax payrolls are calculated by average annual values, including earned bonuses, for players on 40-man rosters along with just over $17 million per team for benefits and $1.67 million for each club’s share of the $50 million pool for pre-arbitration players that started in 2022. Deferred salaries and deferred bonus payments are discounted to present-day values.

Because they owe tax for three straight years, the Mets, Dodgers, Yankees and Phillies pay at a 50% rate on the first $20 million above the $237 million threshold, a 62% rate on the next $20 million, a 95% rate on the amount from $277 million to $297 million and a 110% amount above that.

The Braves and Rangers owe tax for the second year in a row and pay 30% on the first $20 million over and 42% on the next $20 million.

Houston is paying tax for the first time, though the Astros topped the threshold in 2020 when the penalty was suspended because of the coronavirus pandemic. The Giants are paying for the first time since 2017 and the Cubs for the first time since 2019.

The labor contract calls for the first $3.5 million of tax money to be used to fund player benefits and 50% of the remainder to fund player Individual Retirement Accounts. The other 50% of what’s left is dedicated to a supplemental commissioner’s discretionary fund that is distributed among teams that are eligible to receive revenue-sharing money and have grown their non-media local revenue. For this year, the union and MLB agreed to allow discretionary fund distributions of up to $15 million each to teams whose local media revenue has declined since 2022 or 2023.

Next year’s initial threshold is $241 million. If the Mets, Yankees, Dodgers, Phillies. Braves or Rangers go over, they would pay at the highest tax rate, rising to 110% for the amount over $301 million.

Related Posts

EXCLUSIVE: Dodgers Set to Shut Down $6M Golden-Arm Reliever for the Regular Season – Could This Be a Game-Changer for the Postseason?

Dodgerѕ to ѕhut down $6M golden-arm relіever for regular ѕeaѕon, hіntіng at major рoѕtѕeaѕon role… The Loѕ Angeleѕ Dodgerѕ offіcіally clіnched a рlayoff ѕрot on Thurѕday agaіnѕt the Arіzona Dіamondbackѕ….

🚨 BREAKING: Shohei Ohtani hit by a 93-mph line drive in a heart-stopping moment during Dodgers’ loss to the Rockies! Is his season in jeopardy? The shocking injury details inside! ⚾

ѕhoheі Ohtanі hіt by 93-mрh lіne drіve іn Dodgerѕ’ loѕѕ to Rockіeѕ Aug. 21 (Uрі) — ѕhoheі Ohtanі took a 93-mрh lіne drіve to hіѕ rіght thіgh, requіrіng…

MANAGER MELTDOWN: ROSENTHAL QUESTIONS YANKEES & PHILLIES JOB SECURITY — Insider Ken Rosenthal drops a bomb on the futures of both Yankees and Phillies skippers raising doubts fueling rumors and leaving fans in two powerhouse cities on edge as October looms

Will the playoffs at all dictate whether the New York Yankees and Philadelphia Phillies eye a managerial change in 2026?

OHTANI HISTORY: DODGERS STAR HITS 50–20 CLUB AGAIN — With jaw-dropping power and speed Shohei Ohtani storms into the exclusive 50–20 club for the second straight year making MLB history and leaving fans in awe as the Dodgers ride the brilliance of a once-in-a-generation talent rewriting what’s possible on a baseball field

Shohei Ohtani made history, joining the 50-20 club for a second straight season in Dodgers’ 3-2 win over the Mariners.

KERSHAW FAREWELL: LEGEND’S LAST CHAPTER WRITTEN IN TEARS — The Dodgers faithful whisper “we have to go slowly” as Clayton Kershaw takes his bow every pitch now feels like goodbye every cheer like a prayer and fans are torn between heartbreak and gratitude for the icon who defined an era

“We have to go slowly.”Because it’s never easy to say goodbye to a legend. Today, the Los Angeles Dodgers and millions of fans around the world pause…

METS MELTDOWN: EVEN MENDOZA LEFT SEARCHING FOR ANSWERS — When even manager Carlos Mendoza admits he doesn’t know why the Mets keep making costly mistakes, the alarm bells are deafening the frustration is boiling over the faith is fading and fans are left wondering if this team can ever break free from its own chaos

The Mets’ playoff hopes took a major hit when the team lost to the Marlins and the Reds beat the Brewers Friday.