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The Houston Astros (NL and AL eras) opened the 1985 season paying $9,993,051 to 20 players and closed 2016 at $94,893,700 across 28 players, a 9.5× rise in nominal dollars. The franchise’s biggest recorded single-season salary in this span is Jeff Bagwell’s $19,369,019 in 2006.
| Year | Players | Payroll | Average | Median | Top paid |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1985 | 20 | $9,993,051 | $499,653 | $388,334 | Nolan Ryan ($1.4M) |
| 1986 | 24 | $9,873,276 | $411,387 | $345,834 | Nolan Ryan ($1.1M) |
| 1987 | 28 | $12,608,371 | $450,299 | $500,000 | Nolan Ryan ($1.2M) |
| 1988 | 26 | $12,286,167 | $472,545 | $450,000 | Dave Smith ($1.1M) |
| 1989 | 27 | $15,029,500 | $556,648 | $475,000 | Mike Scott ($1.3M) |
| 1990 | 31 | $18,330,000 | $591,290 | $350,000 | Mike Scott ($2M) |
| 1991 | 25 | $12,852,500 | $514,100 | $210,000 | Mike Scott ($2.4M) |
| 1992 | 30 | $15,407,500 | $513,583 | $325,000 | Doug Jones ($1.6M) |
| 1993 | 29 | $30,210,500 | $1,041,741 | $360,000 | Doug Drabek ($4.3M) |
| 1994 | 33 | $33,126,000 | $1,003,818 | $275,000 | Doug Drabek ($4.3M) |
| 1995 | 36 | $34,169,834 | $949,162 | $178,750 | Jeff Bagwell ($6.9M) |
| 1996 | 31 | $28,487,000 | $918,935 | $275,000 | Doug Drabek ($5M) |
| 1997 | 31 | $34,777,500 | $1,121,855 | $412,500 | Jeff Bagwell ($8M) |
| 1998 | 32 | $42,374,000 | $1,324,188 | $550,000 | Jeff Bagwell ($7.9M) |
| 1999 | 32 | $54,914,000 | $1,716,063 | $712,500 | Jeff Bagwell ($6.5M) |
| 2000 | 27 | $51,289,111 | $1,899,597 | $700,000 | Craig Biggio ($6.8M) |
| 2001 | 28 | $60,612,667 | $2,164,738 | $1,025,000 | Craig Biggio ($7.8M) |
| 2002 | 27 | $63,448,417 | $2,349,941 | $500,000 | Jeff Bagwell ($11M) |
| 2003 | 26 | $71,040,000 | $2,732,308 | $1,200,000 | Jeff Bagwell ($13M) |
| 2004 | 25 | $75,397,000 | $3,015,880 | $750,000 | Jeff Bagwell ($16M) |
| 2005 | 26 | $76,779,000 | $2,953,038 | $500,000 | Jeff Bagwell ($18M) |
| 2006 | 25 | $88,694,435 | $3,547,777 | $930,000 | Jeff Bagwell ($19.4M) |
| 2007 | 27 | $87,759,000 | $3,250,333 | $1,300,000 | Lance Berkman ($14.5M) |
| 2008 | 27 | $88,930,414 | $3,293,719 | $1,100,000 | Miguel Tejada ($14.8M) |
| 2009 | 27 | $102,996,414 | $3,814,682 | $1,550,000 | Carlos Lee ($19M) |
| 2010 | 28 | $92,355,500 | $3,298,411 | $1,325,000 | Carlos Lee ($19M) |
| 2011 | 29 | $70,694,000 | $2,437,724 | $467,000 | Carlos Lee ($19M) |
| 2012 | 26 | $60,651,000 | $2,332,731 | $491,250 | Carlos Lee ($19M) |
| 2013 | 22 | $17,890,700 | $813,214 | $495,000 | Bud Norris ($3M) |
| 2014 | 20 | $35,116,300 | $1,755,815 | $507,600 | Scott Feldman ($12M) |
| 2015 | 28 | $72,256,200 | $2,580,579 | $1,068,750 | Scott Feldman ($10M) |
| 2016 | 28 | $94,893,700 | $3,389,061 | $875,000 | Colby Rasmus ($15.8M) |
| # | Player | Salary | Season |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jeff Bagwell | $19,369,019 | 2006 (HOU) |
| 2 | Carlos Lee | $19,000,000 | 2009 (HOU) |
| 3 | Carlos Lee | $19,000,000 | 2010 (HOU) |
| 4 | Carlos Lee | $19,000,000 | 2011 (HOU) |
| 5 | Carlos Lee | $19,000,000 | 2012 (HOU) |
| 6 | Jeff Bagwell | $18,000,000 | 2005 (HOU) |
| 7 | Roger Clemens | $18,000,000 | 2005 (HOU) |
| 8 | Andy Pettitte | $16,428,416 | 2006 (HOU) |
| 9 | Jeff Bagwell | $16,000,000 | 2004 (HOU) |
| 10 | Colby Rasmus | $15,800,000 | 2016 (HOU) |
| 11 | Roy Oswalt | $15,000,000 | 2010 (HOU) |
| 12 | Miguel Tejada | $14,811,414 | 2008 (HOU) |
| 13 | Miguel Tejada | $14,811,414 | 2009 (HOU) |
| 14 | Lance Berkman | $14,500,000 | 2006 (HOU) |
| 15 | Lance Berkman | $14,500,000 | 2007 (HOU) |
This page aggregates the Lahman database’s real salary rows (1985-2016) for every identity this franchise played under: Houston Astros (NL and AL eras). 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 2009 season at $102,996,414 across 27 players.
Salary data: SABR / Lahman baseball database, CC BY-SA 3.0. Aggregated and published by Legends Deck. Nominal dollars; no inflation adjustment.