Pirates payroll cost per win among lowest in MLB

PITTSBURGH — When it comes to the payroll cost of a win, the Pittsburgh Pirates remain one of the thriftiest teams in Major League Baseball.

The Pirates spent $85.4 million in payroll costs for its 76 victories this season, meaning each win cost $1.124 million in player salary, less than a third of what the New York Mets spent on payroll per victory.

What fans really care about, of course, is wins. The Pirates record of 76-86 this year was the same as in 2023, 14 games better than their 62-100 record in 2022. After flirting with .500 baseball and Wild Card contention through midseason, the Pirates finished 13 games out of a playoff spot.