Baltimore Orioles winning despite payroll lower than Max Scherzer’s salary

There have been occasions when players had a higher salary than an entire team’s payroll. As teams rebuild, it makes sense to slash payroll as low as possible. Such was the case with the Baltimore Orioles coming into the 2022 season as they looked to see what they had in their system.

That left the Orioles’ payroll at approximately $39 million if one ignores the money still owed Chris Davis. Meanwhile, Max Scherzer is receiving just over $43 million this season.

Baltimore Orioles keep finding ways to win

Despite that low payroll and a ragtag collection of castoffs, the Orioles are finding ways to win. Their most recent victory, a 9-5 win over the Angels, marked their eighth in a row. The Orioles are now a game under .500 and just three games back in the Wild Card hunt.

It is difficult to envision that the Orioles will be buyers at the trade deadline despite this recent surge. They have beaten up on the Rangers and Angels in this recent surge, and while a two game set against the Cubs could get them over .500, they are still in the AL East. The Orioles simply do not appear to have the talent needed to contend for a playoff spot in that division.

That may change next year. DL Hall and Grayson Rodriguez should be a part of the Opening Day rotation. Cedric Mullins, Ryan Mountcastle, and Adley Rutschman will have that much more experience at the major league level. The Orioles may be ready to spend to bring in those needed pieces to contend. Adding another bat and a piece atop their rotation could turn the Orioles into a viable contender.

Maybe that timeline has accelerated a bit. The Orioles’ success thus far in 2022 cannot be ignored. If nothing else, it gives hope that the bright future that had been promised may not be as far away as one would have imagined.

The Baltimore Orioles are hovering around .500 despite a payroll under Max Scherzer’s salary. It shows that a bright future is right around the corner.