The king is dead; long live the Bums. The Dodgers have ended the Yankees’ 15-year run of having baseball’s most expensive roster.
The Dodgers’ record 2014 payroll of $257,283,410 included a luxury tax bill of $26.6 million. The final payroll was more than $20 million higher than the Yankees' 2013 dole.
The Yankees' 2014 luxury tax figure came in at $18.3 million, the first time since the luxury tax began in 2003 that they didn’t have the highest levy.
Final calculations, based on the average annual value of player contracts on the 40-man roster, were disclosed Friday and obtained by the The Associated Press.
The luxury tax was created in hopes of deterring high-revenue teams from largely outspending smaller-market franchises. Keep hoping, MLB.