How Much Money Will the Baltimore Orioles Make in 2020

The Baltimore Orioles should start to arrive at Camden Yards for the first ever round of Summer Training.

The Baltimore Orioles and the rest of the MLB players who decided to play this season are doing it out of love for the game. As they all receive a prorated salary that is only 37% of what they would make in a typical 162-game season.

This all sounds a big odd in a world where baseball money is guaranteed. Especially considering players who had to permanently leave the game because of injury or other reasons.

As I type, players from other teams are deciding whether or not to play. And, those who choose to stay home for the 2020 season will not receive their “guaranteed” money. So far, some of the big-name veterans who have selected home instead of the diamond include the Nationals Ryan Zimmerman and Mike Leake, as well as Ian Desmond of the Rockies.

The Orioles who do decide to play will see much less money, which is an homage to the game and to the team owners who claim that they are losing massive amounts of money on their billion-dollar investments.

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All MLB players have received some prorated money in the spring. Depending on how much they received in the spring, some players might not receive a paycheck at all during the 60-game season, according to a recent article from the AP.

Here’s a breakdown of what the Orioles will pay their team, based on their expected 26-man roster. I’ve included their 162-game contract based on the average-annual value used to determine the Orioles luxury tax (they’re WAY under that threshold), and the bold amounts are what the players are expected to make for the 60-game season at 37% of their AAV. This amount does not include any bonus, incentives, or other extras.

Rotation Pitchers:

• Alex Cobb – $14.250 million – $4.845 million
• John Means – $580,000 – $214,600
• Wade LeBlanc – $800,000* – $296,000
• Kohl Stewart – $800,000 – $296,000
• Asher Wojciechowski – $575,000 – $212,750

Relief Pitchers:

• Shawn Armstrong – $573,000 – $212,010 
• Richard Bleier – $915,000 – $338,550
• Cody Carroll – $565,000 – $209,050
• Miguel Castro $1,050,000 – $388,500
• Paul Fry – $571,000 – $211,270
• Mychal Givens – $3.225 million – $1.193 million
• Hunter Harvey – $565,000 – $209,050
• David Hess -$563,500* – $208,495
• Hector Velázquez – $584,500 – $216,265

Catchers:

• Pedro Severino – $576,000 – $213,120
• Chance Sisco – $571,000 – $211,270

Infielders

• Hanser Alberto – $1.650 million – $610,500
• Chris Davis – $23 million – $8.510 million
• José Iglesias – $3 million – $1.110 million
• Richie Martin – $568,000 – $210,160
• Renato Núñez – $578,000 – $213,860
• Rio Ruiz – $573,000 – $212,010

Outfielders

• Austin Hays – $567,500 – $209,975
• Anthony Santander – $572,500 – $211,825
• Dwight Smith Jr. – $571,000 – $211,270
• DJ Stewart – $567,500 – $209,975

60-IL

• Trey Mancini – $4.750 million – $1.757 million

*Players with minor league contracts, assuming they are signed to MLB contracts.

Interestingly, when you take the combined salaries of every player making under $1 million in their 162-game contracts, their total nearly half of what the O’s are paying Davis. Even after adding everyone except Alex Cobb, the total is just a tad over Davis’s 60-game contract. It looks like the Orioles are still getting a bargain for all of the low-cost players that should take the field in 2020.