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The Seattle Mariners opened the 1985 season paying $4,613,000 to 18 players and closed 2016 at $135,683,339 across 28 players, a 29.4× rise in nominal dollars. The franchise’s biggest recorded single-season salary in this span is Felix Hernandez’s $25,857,143 in 2016.
| Year | Players | Payroll | Average | Median | Top paid |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1985 | 18 | $4,613,000 | $256,278 | $204,000 | Gorman Thomas ($690K) |
| 1986 | 26 | $5,958,309 | $229,166 | $178,750 | Gorman Thomas ($600K) |
| 1987 | 9 | $2,263,500 | $251,500 | $110,000 | Phil Bradley ($750K) |
| 1988 | 26 | $7,342,450 | $282,402 | $116,250 | Steve Trout ($990K) |
| 1989 | 24 | $9,779,500 | $407,479 | $257,500 | Alvin Davis ($1.4M) |
| 1990 | 34 | $12,553,667 | $369,226 | $180,000 | Alvin Davis ($1.5M) |
| 1991 | 26 | $15,691,833 | $603,532 | $495,000 | Pete O'Brien ($2M) |
| 1992 | 29 | $23,179,833 | $799,305 | $560,000 | Kevin Mitchell ($3.8M) |
| 1993 | 33 | $32,696,333 | $990,798 | $300,000 | Ken Griffey ($4.2M) |
| 1994 | 33 | $29,228,500 | $885,712 | $240,000 | Ken Griffey ($5.1M) |
| 1995 | 35 | $36,481,311 | $1,042,323 | $250,000 | Ken Griffey ($7.6M) |
| 1996 | 34 | $41,328,501 | $1,215,544 | $337,500 | Ken Griffey ($7.7M) |
| 1997 | 32 | $41,540,661 | $1,298,146 | $350,000 | Ken Griffey ($7.9M) |
| 1998 | 38 | $54,087,036 | $1,423,343 | $412,500 | Ken Griffey ($8.2M) |
| 1999 | 36 | $54,125,003 | $1,503,472 | $477,500 | Ken Griffey ($8.8M) |
| 2000 | 26 | $58,915,000 | $2,265,962 | $1,475,000 | Aaron Sele ($7.5M) |
| 2001 | 28 | $74,720,834 | $2,668,601 | $1,925,000 | Aaron Sele ($7M) |
| 2002 | 25 | $80,282,668 | $3,211,307 | $3,333,333 | Bret Boone ($8M) |
| 2003 | 27 | $86,959,167 | $3,220,710 | $3,150,000 | Bret Boone ($8M) |
| 2004 | 28 | $81,515,834 | $2,911,280 | $2,658,334 | Bret Boone ($8M) |
| 2005 | 32 | $87,754,334 | $2,742,323 | $800,000 | Ichiro Suzuki ($12.5M) |
| 2006 | 27 | $87,959,833 | $3,257,772 | $650,000 | Richie Sexson ($13M) |
| 2007 | 27 | $106,460,833 | $3,942,994 | $1,350,000 | Richie Sexson ($15.5M) |
| 2008 | 26 | $117,666,482 | $4,525,634 | $1,650,000 | Ichiro Suzuki ($17.1M) |
| 2009 | 28 | $98,904,166 | $3,532,292 | $661,250 | Ichiro Suzuki ($18M) |
| 2010 | 28 | $86,510,000 | $3,089,643 | $1,118,750 | Ichiro Suzuki ($18M) |
| 2011 | 29 | $86,110,600 | $2,969,331 | $900,000 | Ichiro Suzuki ($18M) |
| 2012 | 28 | $81,978,100 | $2,927,789 | $495,150 | Felix Hernandez ($19.7M) |
| 2013 | 26 | $74,005,043 | $2,846,348 | $1,025,000 | Felix Hernandez ($20.6M) |
| 2014 | 25 | $92,531,100 | $3,701,244 | $1,000,000 | Robinson Cano ($24M) |
| 2015 | 25 | $122,208,700 | $4,888,348 | $2,505,000 | Felix Hernandez ($24.9M) |
| 2016 | 28 | $135,683,339 | $4,845,834 | $1,375,000 | Felix Hernandez ($25.9M) |
| # | Player | Salary | Season |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Felix Hernandez | $25,857,143 | 2016 (SEA) |
| 2 | Felix Hernandez | $24,857,000 | 2015 (SEA) |
| 3 | Robinson Cano | $24,000,000 | 2014 (SEA) |
| 4 | Robinson Cano | $24,000,000 | 2015 (SEA) |
| 5 | Robinson Cano | $24,000,000 | 2016 (SEA) |
| 6 | Felix Hernandez | $22,857,000 | 2014 (SEA) |
| 7 | Felix Hernandez | $20,557,143 | 2013 (SEA) |
| 8 | Felix Hernandez | $19,700,000 | 2012 (SEA) |
| 9 | Ichiro Suzuki | $18,000,000 | 2009 (SEA) |
| 10 | Ichiro Suzuki | $18,000,000 | 2010 (SEA) |
| 11 | Ichiro Suzuki | $18,000,000 | 2011 (SEA) |
| 12 | Ichiro Suzuki | $18,000,000 | 2012 (SEA) |
| 13 | Ichiro Suzuki | $17,102,149 | 2008 (SEA) |
| 14 | Richie Sexson | $15,500,000 | 2007 (SEA) |
| 15 | Richie Sexson | $15,500,000 | 2008 (SEA) |
This page aggregates the Lahman database’s real salary rows (1985-2016) for every identity this franchise played under: Seattle Mariners. 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 $135,683,339 across 28 players.
Salary data: SABR / Lahman baseball database, CC BY-SA 3.0. Aggregated and published by Legends Deck. Nominal dollars; no inflation adjustment.