MLB payrolls for 4 remaining playoff teams: How expensive Dodgers compare to small market Rays, Brewers, Guardians

The Brewers were MLB's best team by record in the regular season with 103 wins, but there is no doubt the Dodges are the team being hunted this October.

With a bloated payroll that far exceeds that of the Brewers and ALCS squads Rays and Guardians, L.A.'s collection of talent has kept the reigning champions favored to three-peat all season along.

Payrolls don't win games, but the numbers make it clear the Dodgers again have an advantage in the chase for a championship.

Here's a look at the payrolls of the postseason's four remaining teams.

MORE: Full Dodgers vs. Brewers NLCS schedule

Dodgers payroll vs. Brewers, Rays, Guardians

The Dodgers rank second in adjusted payroll, behind only the Mets. That doesn't even tell the full story, as it accounts for only a $1 million salary for Kyle Tucker despite Tucker receiving a $54 million signing bonus in February.

Here's how that figure compares to the other remaining teams in the postseason:

The signing bonus Tucker received in February alone is only about $20 million less than the Guardians' entire payroll, which ranks last in MLB at $74.46 million. The Rays are not far ahead at 28th, while the Brewers are 19th in the league despite winning 103 games.

Here's a look at how many Dodgers count among the highest-paid players between the teams in 2026:

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Highest-paid players remaining in playoffs

14 players in the LCS are making at least $15 million per year excluding Tucker because his money came almost entirely through a signing bonus. 11 of them are Dodgers, and one of the three from a team other than the Dodgers — Brandon Woodruff — is out for the season due to injury.

The Rays' highest-paid player is Yandy Diaz, who is making $12 million. The Guardians, meanwhile, don't have a player other than Jose Ramirez even making $8 million annually.

MLB playoff payrolls 2026

If you're looking for proof MLB is dominated by bigger markets, the postseason field is a mixed bag. On one hand, eight of the top 10 teams in terms of payroll made the postseason, with the Dodgers and their massive resource advantage in pursuit of a three-peat.

On the other hand, three of the four teams in the LCS are in the bottom half of all teams when it comes to payroll, including the Guardians in dead last, while the No. 1 team — the Mets — missed the postseason altogether, with the caveat that the Dodgers have a higher active roster payroll in 2026.