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The Oakland Athletics opened the 1985 season paying $9,058,606 to 21 players and closed 2016 at $86,806,234 across 30 players, a 9.6× rise in nominal dollars. The franchise’s biggest recorded single-season salary in this span is Matt Holliday’s $13,500,000 in 2009.
| Year | Players | Payroll | Average | Median | Top paid |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1985 | 21 | $9,058,606 | $431,362 | $350,000 | Dave Kingman ($1.1M) |
| 1986 | 31 | $9,779,421 | $315,465 | $183,700 | Joaquin Andujar ($1.2M) |
| 1987 | 26 | $11,680,839 | $449,263 | $272,500 | Bill Caudill ($1.6M) |
| 1988 | 23 | $9,690,000 | $421,304 | $325,000 | Carney Lansford ($1.3M) |
| 1989 | 25 | $15,613,070 | $624,523 | $572,500 | Jose Canseco ($1.6M) |
| 1990 | 34 | $19,887,501 | $584,927 | $405,000 | Rickey Henderson ($2.4M) |
| 1991 | 26 | $36,999,167 | $1,423,045 | $1,075,000 | Jose Canseco ($3.5M) |
| 1992 | 32 | $41,035,000 | $1,282,344 | $642,500 | Jose Canseco ($4.3M) |
| 1993 | 36 | $37,812,333 | $1,050,343 | $362,500 | Ruben Sierra ($4.2M) |
| 1994 | 33 | $34,172,500 | $1,035,530 | $190,000 | Rickey Henderson ($4.8M) |
| 1995 | 37 | $37,739,225 | $1,019,979 | $200,000 | Mark McGwire ($6.9M) |
| 1996 | 37 | $21,243,000 | $574,135 | $147,500 | Mark McGwire ($7M) |
| 1997 | 39 | $24,018,500 | $615,859 | $165,000 | Mark McGwire ($7.2M) |
| 1998 | 35 | $21,303,000 | $608,657 | $225,000 | Kenny Rogers ($5M) |
| 1999 | 30 | $24,431,833 | $814,394 | $425,000 | Kenny Rogers ($5M) |
| 2000 | 27 | $31,971,333 | $1,184,123 | $500,000 | Kevin Appier ($5.6M) |
| 2001 | 27 | $33,810,750 | $1,252,250 | $350,000 | Johnny Damon ($7.1M) |
| 2002 | 27 | $40,004,167 | $1,481,636 | $812,500 | Jermaine Dye ($7.2M) |
| 2003 | 26 | $50,260,834 | $1,933,109 | $1,032,500 | Jermaine Dye ($11.7M) |
| 2004 | 28 | $59,425,667 | $2,122,345 | $1,357,500 | Jermaine Dye ($11.7M) |
| 2005 | 26 | $55,425,762 | $2,131,760 | $591,667 | Jason Kendall ($10.6M) |
| 2006 | 25 | $62,243,079 | $2,489,723 | $800,000 | Jason Kendall ($11.5M) |
| 2007 | 28 | $79,366,940 | $2,834,534 | $1,575,000 | Jason Kendall ($12.9M) |
| 2008 | 28 | $47,967,126 | $1,713,112 | $455,000 | Eric Chavez ($11.5M) |
| 2009 | 27 | $61,910,000 | $2,292,963 | $410,000 | Matt Holliday ($13.5M) |
| 2010 | 32 | $55,254,900 | $1,726,716 | $420,000 | Eric Chavez ($12.5M) |
| 2011 | 28 | $66,536,500 | $2,376,304 | $1,400,000 | David DeJesus ($6M) |
| 2012 | 30 | $55,372,500 | $1,845,750 | $487,500 | Yoenis Cespedes ($9M) |
| 2013 | 31 | $60,132,500 | $1,939,758 | $550,000 | Chris Young ($8.7M) |
| 2014 | 26 | $72,408,400 | $2,784,938 | $1,197,500 | Yoenis Cespedes ($10.5M) |
| 2015 | 28 | $79,053,501 | $2,823,339 | $1,243,750 | Scott Kazmir ($13M) |
| 2016 | 30 | $86,806,234 | $2,893,541 | $1,540,000 | Billy Butler ($11.7M) |
| # | Player | Salary | Season |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Matt Holliday | $13,500,000 | 2009 (OAK) |
| 2 | Scott Kazmir | $13,000,000 | 2015 (OAK) |
| 3 | Jason Kendall | $12,858,194 | 2007 (OAK) |
| 4 | Eric Chavez | $12,500,000 | 2010 (OAK) |
| 5 | Jermaine Dye | $11,666,667 | 2003 (OAK) |
| 6 | Jermaine Dye | $11,666,667 | 2004 (OAK) |
| 7 | Billy Butler | $11,666,667 | 2016 (OAK) |
| 8 | Eric Chavez | $11,500,000 | 2008 (OAK) |
| 9 | Eric Chavez | $11,500,000 | 2009 (OAK) |
| 10 | Jason Kendall | $11,492,454 | 2006 (OAK) |
| 11 | Coco Crisp | $11,000,000 | 2015 (OAK) |
| 12 | Coco Crisp | $11,000,000 | 2016 (OAK) |
| 13 | Jason Kendall | $10,571,429 | 2005 (OAK) |
| 14 | Yoenis Cespedes | $10,500,000 | 2014 (OAK) |
| 15 | Ben Sheets | $10,000,000 | 2010 (OAK) |
This page aggregates the Lahman database’s real salary rows (1985-2016) for every identity this franchise played under: Oakland Athletics. 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 2016 season at $86,806,234 across 30 players.
Salary data: SABR / Lahman baseball database, CC BY-SA 3.0. Aggregated and published by Legends Deck. Nominal dollars; no inflation adjustment.