This April 13 kicks off what will be the most expensive series in MLB history, as the New York Mets visit the Los Angeles Dodgers, who currently lead the league in Competitive Balance Tax (CBT) this season. Unfortunately for baseball fans, we won’t get to see the two highest-paid players from these teams facing each other.
The Mets have a payroll exceeding $375 million under the CBT, while the Dodgers lead the league with a staggering $413.5 million this season.
If we factor in the Competitive Balance Tax both teams are paying this year, the total player spending for the 2026 season surpasses $1.07 billion.
Mets visit LA without Juan Soto
Juan Soto is one of the most electric players in all of MLB and holds the largest contract in MLB history: a 15-year, $765 million deal with the Mets.
However, this week he will not be at Dodger Stadium because he is on the injured list with a right calf strain.
Shohei Ohtani will be present
The most notable contract in the Dodgers organization belongs to Shohei Ohtani: a 10-year, $700 million signing that includes deferred payments running until 2043, with an annual luxury tax value of $46 million.
Jaw-Dropping numbers behind Dodgers and Mets payroll dominance
The Dodgers’ 2026 CBT payroll alone exceeds the combined spending of the league’s four lowest-payroll teams (White Sox, Rays, Guardians and Marlins), while the Mets outspend the total payrolls of Chicago, Cleveland and Tampa Bay combined.
The Dodgers’ projected $161.9 million luxury tax bill for 2026 is higher than the entire CBT payroll of 12 MLB teams this season. Meanwhile, the Mets’ estimated $120 million tax bill surpasses the payrolls of six teams.
Even more staggering, the combined 2026 salaries of the four highest-AAV players across both rosters – Juan Soto, Shohei Ohtani, Kyle Tucker and Bo Bichette – exceed the full payroll of 14 MLB teams and fall just $400,000 short of matching the Seattle Mariners’ entire payroll.
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