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The Milwaukee Brewers (AL and NL eras) opened the 1985 season paying $11,284,107 to 19 players and closed 2016 at $68,775,237 across 30 players, a 6.1× rise in nominal dollars. The franchise’s biggest recorded single-season salary in this span is Ryan Braun’s $19,315,013 in 2016.
| Year | Players | Payroll | Average | Median | Top paid |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1985 | 19 | $11,284,107 | $593,900 | $560,000 | Cecil Cooper ($1.2M) |
| 1986 | 28 | $9,943,642 | $355,130 | $165,000 | Paul Molitor ($1.2M) |
| 1987 | 28 | $7,293,224 | $260,472 | $100,000 | Paul Molitor ($1.3M) |
| 1988 | 22 | $8,402,000 | $381,909 | $190,000 | Paul Molitor ($1.4M) |
| 1989 | 30 | $11,533,000 | $384,433 | $195,000 | Paul Molitor ($2.1M) |
| 1990 | 37 | $19,719,167 | $532,950 | $185,000 | Robin Yount ($3.2M) |
| 1991 | 23 | $23,115,500 | $1,005,022 | $835,000 | Paul Molitor ($3.2M) |
| 1992 | 27 | $31,013,667 | $1,148,654 | $525,000 | Teddy Higuera ($3.5M) |
| 1993 | 33 | $23,806,834 | $721,419 | $190,000 | Teddy Higuera ($3.3M) |
| 1994 | 31 | $24,350,500 | $785,500 | $375,000 | Teddy Higuera ($3.5M) |
| 1995 | 35 | $17,798,825 | $508,538 | $135,000 | Greg Vaughn ($4.9M) |
| 1996 | 34 | $21,730,000 | $639,118 | $188,750 | Greg Vaughn ($5.9M) |
| 1997 | 34 | $23,655,338 | $695,745 | $232,500 | Ben McDonald ($5M) |
| 1998 | 34 | $33,914,904 | $997,497 | $450,000 | Marquis Grissom ($5M) |
| 1999 | 32 | $43,377,395 | $1,355,544 | $335,000 | Dave Nilsson ($5.7M) |
| 2000 | 32 | $36,505,333 | $1,140,792 | $432,500 | Marquis Grissom ($5M) |
| 2001 | 28 | $43,886,833 | $1,567,387 | $811,250 | Jeffrey Hammonds ($6.5M) |
| 2002 | 29 | $50,287,833 | $1,734,063 | $1,100,000 | Jeffrey Hammonds ($7.5M) |
| 2003 | 29 | $40,627,000 | $1,400,931 | $428,000 | Jeffrey Hammonds ($8.2M) |
| 2004 | 25 | $27,528,500 | $1,101,140 | $400,000 | Geoff Jenkins ($8.7M) |
| 2005 | 25 | $39,934,833 | $1,597,393 | $420,000 | Carlos Lee ($8M) |
| 2006 | 26 | $57,568,333 | $2,214,167 | $775,000 | Ben Sheets ($9.6M) |
| 2007 | 27 | $70,986,500 | $2,629,130 | $2,250,000 | Ben Sheets ($11.1M) |
| 2008 | 29 | $80,937,499 | $2,790,948 | $2,000,000 | Ben Sheets ($12.1M) |
| 2009 | 26 | $80,182,502 | $3,083,942 | $1,347,500 | Jeff Suppan ($12.8M) |
| 2010 | 29 | $81,108,278 | $2,796,837 | $1,287,500 | Jeff Suppan ($12.8M) |
| 2011 | 30 | $85,497,333 | $2,849,911 | $1,050,000 | Prince Fielder ($15.5M) |
| 2012 | 26 | $97,653,944 | $3,755,921 | $1,981,250 | Zack Greinke ($13.5M) |
| 2013 | 25 | $76,947,033 | $3,077,881 | $1,450,000 | Rickie Weeks ($11M) |
| 2014 | 27 | $101,217,000 | $3,748,778 | $850,000 | Aramis Ramirez ($16M) |
| 2015 | 29 | $100,850,000 | $3,477,586 | $525,500 | Aramis Ramirez ($14M) |
| 2016 | 30 | $68,775,237 | $2,292,508 | $518,300 | Ryan Braun ($19.3M) |
| # | Player | Salary | Season |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ryan Braun | $19,315,013 | 2016 (MIL) |
| 2 | Aramis Ramirez | $16,000,000 | 2014 (MIL) |
| 3 | Prince Fielder | $15,500,000 | 2011 (MIL) |
| 4 | Aramis Ramirez | $14,000,000 | 2015 (MIL) |
| 5 | Zack Greinke | $13,500,000 | 2011 (MIL) |
| 6 | Zack Greinke | $13,500,000 | 2012 (MIL) |
| 7 | Ryan Braun | $13,000,000 | 2015 (MIL) |
| 8 | Jeff Suppan | $12,750,000 | 2009 (MIL) |
| 9 | Jeff Suppan | $12,750,000 | 2010 (MIL) |
| 10 | Matt Garza | $12,500,000 | 2014 (MIL) |
| 11 | Matt Garza | $12,500,000 | 2015 (MIL) |
| 12 | Matt Garza | $12,209,424 | 2016 (MIL) |
| 13 | Ben Sheets | $12,125,000 | 2008 (MIL) |
| 14 | Aaron Hill | $12,000,000 | 2016 (MIL) |
| 15 | Yovani Gallardo | $11,250,000 | 2014 (MIL) |
This page aggregates the Lahman database’s real salary rows (1985-2016) for every identity this franchise played under: Milwaukee Brewers (AL and NL 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 2014 season at $101,217,000 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.