Detroit Tigers Payroll In 2016 + Contracts Going Forward

Detroit is rapidly aging with their core and they have added even more guys to the fold over this winter with Jordan Zimmermann and Francisco Rodriguez both 30 or over. This club may have opened up another 1 – 2 year winning window here – but will pay a steep financial price for it. The club is around $175 MIL already for total team salary and are right near the MLB Luxury Tax Threshold of $189 MIL.

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The Tigers are on the cusp of chasing that $189 MIL Luxury Tax Threshold they way they are spending money freely. They have 3 of the top 15 contracts in MLB history – with Jordan Zimmermann just outside the bar with his new 5 YRs/$110 MIL deal.

It has been a decade worth of competitive baseball – with the outlier being the last season where they finished under .500.

Detroit should be right around $171 MIL after the Arbitration contracts are finished this winter. This must be where the budget ends for the franchise.

The Tigers are still paying Prince Fielder $30 MIL over the next 6 years – spread out evenly, and this year they have the pleasure of kicking Joe Nathan another $1 MIL not to play for them.

Miguel Cabrera and Justin Verlander both earn $28 MIL in the upcoming season – while Victor Martinez and Jordan Zimmermann both will make $18 MIL each. Ian Kinsler and Anibal Sanchez round out the 8 figure players.

The Motown Boys also facilitated trades to bring in OF Cameron Maybin and Closer Francisco Rodriguez that will add some money to the bottom line in 2016.

Cabrera is just starting his huge 8 Years/$248 MIL pact – while Justin Verlander still has 4 years and a total of $112 MIL left on the books.

If all of the options are picked up on this team, the whole Roster could be back for the 2017 as well. This may be a good or bad thing.

Miguel Cabrera will just start his 8 YR/$248 MIL extension in 2016 – and Justin Verlander is still slated to make $112 MIL over the next 4 years. Both of the contracts are in the top 15 in the MLB, with Cabrera’s being the 3rd highest ever – toting the highest Annual Average Value for a position player at $31 MIL per season. Both of these guys will need to be healthy and play to their top capabilities if Detroit will go anywhere. It may be a lot harder for JV to do this as Cabrera still won his 4th Batting Title in 5 years during 2015.

The only real high dollar expenditure in Arbitration will be J.D. Martinez – who will cash in on his great 2015 campaign. He is the only 2nd Year Arb Eligible Player. They also carry 3 first time Arbitration players in Austin Romine, Jose Iglesias and the newly acquired Justin Wilson.

This organization will see three contracts north of $24 MIL each for the 2018 and 2019 seasons with Cabrera, Verlander and Zimmermann also crossing the mark.

Suffice it to say, the Tigers will probably not take on much more money they have already. Lets see if their older players can have bounce back years and make this dough spent worth it.

Guaranteed Contracts/POS/AGE:

Miguel Cabrera 1B ( 33): Miggy makes $28 MIL in 2016 and 2017, before upping it to $30 MIL for the years of 2018 – 2021 – before maxing out at $32 MIL for 2022 and 2023. If he finished in the top 10 for MVP Voting in 2023 and 2024 respectively then Vesting Options kick in at $30 MIL for each subsequent following season.

Justin Verlander SP (33): JV makes $28 MIL for each year between 2016 – 2019. There is a Vesting Option for for $22 MIL in 2020 if he can finish in the top 5 for Cy Young Voting in 2019.

Jordan Zimmermann SP (30): The former Nationals will earn $18 MIL in both 2016 and 2016 – before jumping to $24 MIL in 2018 and then $25 MIL for the 2019 and 2020 campaigns.

Ian Kinsler 2B (34): Earns $11 MIL in 2016, $14 MIL in 2017 – and there is a Team Option of $12 MIL in 2018 that comes with a $5 MIL Buyout.

Victor Martinez DH (37): V-Mart makes $18 MIL AAV for the next 3 years.

Anibal Sanchez SP (32): Like Kinsler, has two more years left and a Buyout for 2018. He makes $16.8 MIL for 2016 and 2017 – and has the Team Option in 2018 for $16 MIL.

Mike Pelfrey SP (32): Signed to a 2 year deal worth $8 MIL per year.

Francisco Rodriguez CL (34): The active Career Saves Leader makes $7.5 MIL in 2016 – with a Team Option in 2017 for $6 MIL or a $2 MIL Buyout.

Cameron Maybin OF (29): Maybin earns $8 MIL and has a Team Option in 2017 for $9 MIL or a $1 MIL Buyout.

Mark Lowe RP (33): Signed a 2 YR deal with the Tigers that will pay him $5.5 MIL for both the 2016 and 2017 seasons.

Jarrod Saltalamacchia C (31): Makes 508K in 2016 and will be a Free Agent after the year is up.

Total Money for this Category – $150.4 MIL

Arbitration Eligible/POS/AGE

1st Year

Austin Romine INF (30): Is Projected to make 700K in 2016 – is Arb Eligible in both 2017 and 2018 before becoming a Free Agent in 2019.

Jose Iglesias SS (25): Is slated to earn around $1.5 MIL in 2016 is Arb Eligible in both 2017 and 2018 before becoming a Free Agent in 2019.

Justin Wilson RP (28): The newly acquired Reliever should reel in $1.3 MIL in 2016 is Arb Eligible in both 2017 and 2018 before becoming a Free Agent in 2019.

Total Money for this Category – $3.5: Total Team Payroll – $153.9 MIL

2nd Year

J.D. Martinez (28): Should earn around $7.8 MIL in 2016 – has one more year left of Arb in 2017 before hitting Free Agency in 2018.

Total Money for this Category – $7.8 MIL: Total Team Payroll – $161.7 MIL

Dead Money POS/AGE:

Prince Fielder 1B (32): The former Tigers player will cost the squad $6 MIL per year more from 2016 – 2020.

Joe Nathan RP (41): Costs the Tigers $1 MIL in 2016.

Total Money for this Category – $7 MIL Total Team Payroll – $168.7 MIL

Buried Contracts/Minors

Bruce Rondon RP (25): Is Arbitration Eligible in 2017 – 2019 and a Free Agent in 2020.

Anthony Gose OF (25): Is Arbitration Eligible in 2017 – 2019 and a Free Agent in 2020.

Nick Castellanos 3B (24): Is Arbitration Eligible in 2017 – 2019 and a Free Agent in 2020.

Bryan Holaday C (28): Is Arbitration Eligible in 2017 – 2019 and a Free Agent in 2020.

Alex Wilson RP (29): Is Arbitration Eligible in 2017 – 2019 and a Free Agent in 2020.

Blaine Hardy RP (29): Is Arbitration Eligible in 2018 – 2020 and a Free Agent in 2021.

Shane Greene SP (27): Is Arbitration Eligible in 2018 – 2020and a Free Agent in 2021.

James McCann C (26): Is Arbitration Eligible in 2018 – 2020 and a Free Agent in 2021.

Kyle Lobstein SP (26): Is Arbitration Eligible in 2018 – 2020 and a Free Agent in 2021.

Tyler Collins OF (26): Is Arbitration Eligible in 2019 – 2021 and a Free Agent in 2022.

Buck Farmer RP (25): Is Arbitration Eligible in 2019 – 2021 and a Free Agent in 2022.

Daniel Norris SP (23): Is Arbitration Eligible in 2019 – 2021 and a Free Agent in 2022.

Kyle Ryan RP (24): Is Arbitration Eligible in 2019 – 2021 and a Free Agent in 2022.

Drew VerHagen RP (25): Is Arbitration Eligible in 2019 – 2021 and a Free Agent in 2022.

Jefry Marte INF (25): Is Arbitration Eligible in 2019 – 2021 and a Free Agent in 2022.

Angel Nesbitt RP (25): Is Arbitration Eligible in 2019 – 2021 and a Free Agent in 2022.

Matt Boyd SP (25): Is Arbitration Eligible in 2019 – 2021 and a Free Agent in 2022.

Steven Moya OF (25): Is Arbitration Eligible in 2019 – 2021 and a Free Agent in 2022.

Jeff Ferrell RP (25): Is Arbitration Eligible in 2019 – 2021 and a Free Agent in 2022.

Dixon Machado INF (23): Is Arbitration Eligible in 2019 – 2021 and a Free Agent in 2022.

Jose Valdez RP (26): Is Arbitration Eligible in 2019 – 2021 and a Free Agent in 2022.

Total Money for this Category – $10 MIL: Total Team Salary – $178.7 MIL

Jordan Zimmermann joining the Tigers as reopened their winning window for at least next year.

Jordan Zimmermann joining the Tigers has reopened their winning window for at least next year. It almost worked like a trade with Max Scherzer ending up with the Nats and Zimmermann ending up with the Tigers in consecutive off seasons. The former Nats chucker will earn $110 MIL spread out over 5 years, which is around $100 MIL less than Scherzer will make for 7 year deal.

*** The views and opinions expressed in this report are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of mlbreports.com and their partners***

A Big thanks goes out to our chief writer Hunter Stokes for preparing today’s feature post.

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