Call to the pen
Fansided

New York Mets luxury tax more than projected payrolls for six teams

By David Hill

Apr 15, 2022; New York City, New York, USA; New York Mets owner Steve Cohen speaks during the Tom Seaver Statue unveiling ceremony prior to the game against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Gregory Fisher-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 15, 2022; New York City, New York, USA; New York Mets owner Steve Cohen speaks during the Tom Seaver Statue unveiling ceremony prior to the game against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Gregory Fisher-USA TODAY Sports /
facebooktwitterreddit

The New York Mets have gone on what has been an impressive spending spree.

Since Jacob deGrom decided to head to the Rangers, the Mets have essentially said to hell with the luxury tax. Justin Verlander, Jose Quintana, David Robertson, and Kodai Senga have all been brought in to fortify the pitching staff. Brandon Nimmo is back. The Mets projected payroll is approaching $350 million and will likely surpass that mark by the time Opening Day comes around.

New York Mets show disparity between haves and have-nots

Considering how much the Mets have spent, it is not a surprise that they have gone deep into the luxury tax. They are firmly beyond the aptly named Cohen Tier, paying 90% of every dollar they are spending at this point. So far, the Mets’ luxury tax bill is approximately $76.2 million.

That number alone does not truly do justice to their tax bill. As everything currently stands, the Mets will pay more in luxury tax than six teams will on their entire payrolls. If there was ever a question about the difference between the haves and have-nots, that has emphatically been answered.

It is also fair to note that actually wanting to win makes a difference in these payrolls. The Rays and Orioles are the only two teams out of those six that are showing any inclination to contend in 2023. The Rays also have spent money this offseason, signing Zack Eflin as they look to improve their place in the pecking order.

Chances are, this will not be the only time that the Mets’ luxury tax bill exceeds the payrolls of other teams. Unless a dramatic change to the economics of the game comes into place, with a salary cap and salary floor, the Mets are going to continue to use Steve Cohen’s checkbook as a weapon.

Next. Cohen making history with spending spree. dark

The New York Mets are set to spend over $76 million on the luxury tax. That is more than the payrolls of six major league teams thus far.

Home/New York Mets