Major League Baseball

Breaking down the Mets' payroll by the numbers following Carlos Correa deal

Updated Dec. 21, 2022 6:18 p.m. ET

If you somehow haven't heard by now, New York Mets owner Steve Cohen has plenty of money — and he's willing to spend it.

Carlos Correa was the Mets' latest splash this offseason. New York reportedly agreed to a 12-year, $315 million deal with Correa in the early hours of the morning on Wednesday, which is the fifth-largest contract ever signed in MLB free agency.

Here are some numbers to know about the Mets' payroll entering the 2022 season, which is set to be the largest payroll in MLB history.

384 — The New York Mets' current payroll is estimated to be around $384 million.

113 — The luxury-tax payments alone on their payroll will exceed $111 million, more than double the previous record for a luxury tax payment of $43.6 million set by the 2015 Dodgers.

502 — Including luxury tax payments, the Mets' total commitment from a salary perspective will be just over half a billion dollars at $502 million in 2022, according to Spotrac.

179 — As of now, the Mets have more than doubled the projected median MLB payroll of $179 million.

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251 — The Padres currently have the third-highest payroll in baseball at $251 million, just half of the Mets' projected $502 million payroll obligations for this upcoming season.

49.8 — If Carlos Correa has no deferred money, offsets or nonstandard language in the deal, he will likely cost the Mets $49.8 million between salary and luxury tax.

1.3 — When looking at the biggest contracts within the Mets' 2023 starting lineup, the total projected remaining money owed on those contracts — including 5 starters, Adam Ottavino as setup man and closer Edwin Díaz — is $1.3 billion.

806.1 — The Mets have spent a league-high $806.1 million on free agents this offseason, $222.5 million more than the Yankees, who have spent the second-most.

4.5 — The Mets' $384 million payroll is higher than the total payroll of the four smallest payrolls in baseball and half of the fifth: Athletics, Pirates, Orioles, Reds and half of the Royals.

6 — The Mets' $113 million dollar luxury tax payment is higher than the payroll of the bottom six teams in baseball: A’s, Pirates, Orioles, Reds, Royals and Marlins.

300 — The only other team to open a season north of $300 million in payroll was the 2022 Dodgers, who had commitments totaling $310 million.

2 — Only two players in MLB history have had an average annual value of more than $40 million, 2021 Max Scherzer ($43.3M) and 2022 Justin Verlander ($43.3M) and the Mets have given out.

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60.4 — Following Correa's deal, the Mets will have the most expensive left side of the infield duo in MLB history — at least in terms of average annual value. Francisco Lindor signed a 10-year, $341 million extension with the Mets just prior to Opening Day in 2021, meaning the Mets will be paying their shortstop and third baseman a combined $60.4 million per season over the next nine years. That beats previous marks set by Manny Machado and Xander Bogaerts, Machado and Fernando Tatis Jr., and Alex Rodriguez and Derek Jeter.

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