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The Pittsburgh Pirates opened the 1985 season paying $9,227,500 to 19 players and closed 2016 at $103,778,833 across 28 players, a 11.2× rise in nominal dollars. The franchise’s biggest recorded single-season salary in this span is A. J. Burnett’s $16,500,000 in 2012.
| Year | Players | Payroll | Average | Median | Top paid |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1985 | 19 | $9,227,500 | $485,658 | $425,000 | Tony Peña ($1.1M) |
| 1986 | 29 | $10,843,500 | $373,914 | $175,000 | Jose DeLeon ($1.8M) |
| 1987 | 25 | $7,652,000 | $306,080 | $180,000 | Jason Thompson ($1.1M) |
| 1988 | 27 | $5,998,500 | $222,167 | $160,000 | Andy Van Slyke ($825K) |
| 1989 | 29 | $12,737,500 | $439,224 | $360,000 | Andy Van Slyke ($2.1M) |
| 1990 | 36 | $15,556,000 | $432,111 | $350,000 | Bobby Bonilla ($1.3M) |
| 1991 | 27 | $23,634,667 | $875,358 | $600,000 | Doug Drabek ($3.4M) |
| 1992 | 28 | $33,944,167 | $1,212,292 | $446,250 | Barry Bonds ($4.8M) |
| 1993 | 33 | $24,822,467 | $752,196 | $209,000 | Andy Van Slyke ($4.9M) |
| 1994 | 34 | $24,217,250 | $712,272 | $192,500 | Andy Van Slyke ($3.5M) |
| 1995 | 33 | $18,355,345 | $556,223 | $200,000 | Jay Bell ($4.4M) |
| 1996 | 35 | $23,017,500 | $657,643 | $180,000 | Jay Bell ($4.7M) |
| 1997 | 35 | $10,771,667 | $307,762 | $195,000 | Al Martin ($2.3M) |
| 1998 | 35 | $15,065,000 | $430,429 | $260,000 | Al Martin ($2.6M) |
| 1999 | 38 | $24,917,666 | $655,728 | $350,000 | Al Martin ($2.7M) |
| 2000 | 26 | $28,928,334 | $1,112,628 | $500,000 | Kevin Young ($5.6M) |
| 2001 | 31 | $57,760,833 | $1,863,253 | $795,000 | Brian Giles ($7.3M) |
| 2002 | 29 | $42,323,599 | $1,459,434 | $625,000 | Brian Giles ($8.1M) |
| 2003 | 28 | $54,812,429 | $1,957,587 | $825,000 | Brian Giles ($8.8M) |
| 2004 | 27 | $32,227,929 | $1,193,627 | $350,000 | Jason Kendall ($8.6M) |
| 2005 | 28 | $38,133,000 | $1,361,893 | $368,000 | Matt Lawton ($7.8M) |
| 2006 | 28 | $46,717,750 | $1,668,491 | $424,000 | Sean Casey ($8.5M) |
| 2007 | 27 | $38,537,833 | $1,427,327 | $410,000 | Jack Wilson ($5.4M) |
| 2008 | 26 | $48,689,783 | $1,872,684 | $480,250 | Matt Morris ($10M) |
| 2009 | 26 | $48,693,000 | $1,872,808 | $1,062,500 | Jack Wilson ($7.4M) |
| 2010 | 27 | $34,943,000 | $1,294,185 | $452,000 | Paul Maholm ($5M) |
| 2011 | 29 | $45,047,000 | $1,553,345 | $450,000 | Paul Maholm ($6.3M) |
| 2012 | 28 | $62,951,999 | $2,248,286 | $1,008,333 | A. J. Burnett ($16.5M) |
| 2013 | 28 | $77,062,000 | $2,752,214 | $1,125,000 | A. J. Burnett ($16.5M) |
| 2014 | 28 | $77,178,000 | $2,756,357 | $1,100,000 | Wandy Rodriguez ($13M) |
| 2015 | 29 | $88,892,499 | $3,065,259 | $1,750,000 | Francisco Liriano ($11.7M) |
| 2016 | 28 | $103,778,833 | $3,706,387 | $2,750,000 | Francisco Liriano ($13.7M) |
| # | Player | Salary | Season |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | A. J. Burnett | $16,500,000 | 2012 (PIT) |
| 2 | A. J. Burnett | $16,500,000 | 2013 (PIT) |
| 3 | Francisco Liriano | $13,666,667 | 2016 (PIT) |
| 4 | Wandy Rodriguez | $13,500,000 | 2013 (PIT) |
| 5 | Andrew McCutchen | $13,208,333 | 2016 (PIT) |
| 6 | Wandy Rodriguez | $13,000,000 | 2014 (PIT) |
| 7 | Francisco Liriano | $11,666,666 | 2015 (PIT) |
| 8 | Matt Morris | $10,037,283 | 2008 (PIT) |
| 9 | Andrew McCutchen | $10,000,000 | 2015 (PIT) |
| 10 | Mark Melancon | $9,650,000 | 2016 (PIT) |
| 11 | Jonathon Niese | $9,000,000 | 2016 (PIT) |
| 12 | Brian Giles | $8,833,333 | 2003 (PIT) |
| 13 | Jason Kendall | $8,571,429 | 2003 (PIT) |
| 14 | Jason Kendall | $8,571,429 | 2004 (PIT) |
| 15 | Sean Casey | $8,500,000 | 2006 (PIT) |
This page aggregates the Lahman database’s real salary rows (1985-2016) for every identity this franchise played under: Pittsburgh Pirates. 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 $103,778,833 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.