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The California / Anaheim / Los Angeles Angels opened the 1985 season paying $14,427,894 to 28 players and closed 2016 at $137,251,333 across 26 players, a 9.5× rise in nominal dollars. The franchise’s biggest recorded single-season salary in this span is Vernon Wells’s $26,187,500 in 2011.
| Year | Players | Payroll | Average | Median | Top paid |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1985 | 28 | $14,427,894 | $515,282 | $493,750 | Doug DeCinces ($1.1M) |
| 1986 | 29 | $14,427,258 | $497,492 | $425,000 | Doug DeCinces ($1.2M) |
| 1987 | 27 | $12,843,499 | $475,685 | $450,000 | Mike Witt ($1.1M) |
| 1988 | 28 | $11,947,388 | $426,692 | $231,000 | Mike Witt ($1.4M) |
| 1989 | 26 | $15,097,833 | $580,686 | $467,500 | Chili Davis ($1.5M) |
| 1990 | 35 | $21,720,000 | $620,571 | $425,000 | Lance Parrish ($1.9M) |
| 1991 | 31 | $33,060,001 | $1,066,452 | $680,000 | Mark Langston ($3.5M) |
| 1992 | 30 | $34,749,334 | $1,158,311 | $720,000 | Chuck Finley ($4.4M) |
| 1993 | 32 | $28,588,334 | $893,385 | $225,000 | Chuck Finley ($5.4M) |
| 1994 | 32 | $25,156,218 | $786,132 | $400,000 | Chuck Finley ($3.9M) |
| 1995 | 33 | $31,223,171 | $946,157 | $175,000 | Mark Langston ($5M) |
| 1996 | 37 | $28,738,000 | $776,703 | $300,000 | Mark Langston ($5M) |
| 1997 | 31 | $31,135,472 | $1,004,370 | $575,000 | Chuck Finley ($4M) |
| 1998 | 34 | $41,281,000 | $1,214,147 | $487,500 | Chuck Finley ($5M) |
| 1999 | 40 | $55,388,166 | $1,384,704 | $500,000 | Mo Vaughn ($7.2M) |
| 2000 | 30 | $51,464,167 | $1,715,472 | $462,500 | Mo Vaughn ($11.2M) |
| 2001 | 30 | $47,535,167 | $1,584,506 | $425,000 | Mo Vaughn ($13.2M) |
| 2002 | 28 | $61,721,667 | $2,204,345 | $450,000 | Tim Salmon ($9.7M) |
| 2003 | 27 | $79,031,667 | $2,927,099 | $1,000,000 | Kevin Appier ($11.5M) |
| 2004 | 27 | $100,534,667 | $3,723,506 | $2,150,000 | Bartolo Colon ($11M) |
| 2005 | 29 | $94,867,822 | $3,271,304 | $925,000 | Vladimir Guerrero ($12.5M) |
| 2006 | 25 | $103,472,000 | $4,138,880 | $2,250,000 | Bartolo Colon ($14M) |
| 2007 | 30 | $109,251,333 | $3,641,711 | $1,425,000 | Bartolo Colon ($16M) |
| 2008 | 29 | $119,216,333 | $4,110,908 | $1,200,000 | Torii Hunter ($16.5M) |
| 2009 | 28 | $113,709,000 | $4,061,036 | $1,800,000 | Torii Hunter ($18M) |
| 2010 | 29 | $104,963,866 | $3,619,444 | $2,050,000 | Torii Hunter ($18.5M) |
| 2011 | 31 | $138,543,166 | $4,469,134 | $2,000,000 | Vernon Wells ($26.2M) |
| 2012 | 29 | $154,485,166 | $5,327,075 | $3,150,000 | Vernon Wells ($24.2M) |
| 2013 | 26 | $124,174,750 | $4,775,952 | $2,812,500 | Josh Hamilton ($17.4M) |
| 2014 | 27 | $121,988,250 | $4,518,083 | $870,000 | Albert Pujols ($23M) |
| 2015 | 27 | $120,005,415 | $4,444,645 | $1,312,000 | Albert Pujols ($24M) |
| 2016 | 26 | $137,251,333 | $5,278,897 | $1,950,000 | Albert Pujols ($25M) |
| # | Player | Salary | Season |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Vernon Wells | $26,187,500 | 2011 (LAA) |
| 2 | Albert Pujols | $25,000,000 | 2016 (LAA) |
| 3 | Vernon Wells | $24,187,500 | 2012 (LAA) |
| 4 | Albert Pujols | $24,000,000 | 2015 (LAA) |
| 5 | Albert Pujols | $23,000,000 | 2014 (LAA) |
| 6 | C. J. Wilson | $20,500,000 | 2016 (LAA) |
| 7 | Jered Weaver | $20,200,000 | 2016 (LAA) |
| 8 | Torii Hunter | $18,500,000 | 2010 (LAA) |
| 9 | Torii Hunter | $18,500,000 | 2011 (LAA) |
| 10 | Torii Hunter | $18,500,000 | 2012 (LAA) |
| 11 | Torii Hunter | $18,000,000 | 2009 (LAA) |
| 12 | Jered Weaver | $18,000,000 | 2015 (LAA) |
| 13 | C. J. Wilson | $18,000,000 | 2015 (LAA) |
| 14 | Josh Hamilton | $17,400,000 | 2013 (LAA) |
| 15 | Josh Hamilton | $17,000,000 | 2014 (LAA) |
This page aggregates the Lahman database’s real salary rows (1985-2016) for every identity this franchise played under: California / Anaheim / Los Angeles Angels. Amounts are nominal US dollars exactly as recorded, with no inflation adjustment, because a deflator is an editorial choice and this archive refuses to invent one. The Lahman Salaries table was last updated for 2016, so nothing here reaches the current season.
The franchise’s heaviest recorded payroll was the 2012 season at $154,485,166 across 29 players.
Salary data: SABR / Lahman baseball database, CC BY-SA 3.0. Aggregated and published by Legends Deck. Nominal dollars; no inflation adjustment.