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The Boston Red Sox opened the 1985 season paying $10,897,560 to 25 players and closed 2016 at $188,545,761 across 29 players, a 17.3× rise in nominal dollars. The franchise’s biggest recorded single-season salary in this span is David Price’s $30,000,000 in 2016.
| Year | Players | Payroll | Average | Median | Top paid |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1985 | 25 | $10,897,560 | $435,902 | $325,000 | Bob Stanley ($1.1M) |
| 1986 | 29 | $14,402,239 | $496,629 | $375,000 | Jim Rice ($2M) |
| 1987 | 15 | $10,144,167 | $676,278 | $550,000 | Jim Rice ($2.1M) |
| 1988 | 24 | $13,896,092 | $579,004 | $310,000 | Jim Rice ($2.2M) |
| 1989 | 26 | $17,481,748 | $672,375 | $435,000 | Jim Rice ($2.4M) |
| 1990 | 32 | $20,558,333 | $642,448 | $355,000 | Roger Clemens ($2.6M) |
| 1991 | 30 | $35,167,500 | $1,172,250 | $700,000 | Danny Darwin ($3.3M) |
| 1992 | 31 | $43,610,584 | $1,406,793 | $525,000 | Frank Viola ($4.8M) |
| 1993 | 31 | $37,120,583 | $1,197,438 | $475,000 | Andre Dawson ($4.9M) |
| 1994 | 30 | $37,859,084 | $1,261,969 | $500,000 | Roger Clemens ($5.2M) |
| 1995 | 37 | $32,455,518 | $877,176 | $272,500 | Jose Canseco ($5.8M) |
| 1996 | 36 | $42,393,500 | $1,177,597 | $400,000 | Roger Clemens ($5.5M) |
| 1997 | 34 | $43,558,750 | $1,281,140 | $575,000 | Mo Vaughn ($6.3M) |
| 1998 | 33 | $56,757,000 | $1,719,909 | $600,000 | Pedro Martinez ($7.6M) |
| 1999 | 31 | $63,497,500 | $2,048,306 | $1,400,000 | Pedro Martinez ($11.1M) |
| 2000 | 30 | $77,940,333 | $2,598,011 | $2,000,000 | Pedro Martinez ($11.5M) |
| 2001 | 32 | $110,035,833 | $3,438,620 | $1,962,500 | Manny Ramirez ($13.1M) |
| 2002 | 30 | $108,366,060 | $3,612,202 | $2,287,500 | Manny Ramirez ($15.5M) |
| 2003 | 27 | $99,946,500 | $3,701,722 | $2,000,000 | Manny Ramirez ($20M) |
| 2004 | 30 | $127,298,500 | $4,243,283 | $3,087,500 | Manny Ramirez ($22.5M) |
| 2005 | 28 | $123,505,125 | $4,410,897 | $2,875,000 | Manny Ramirez ($22M) |
| 2006 | 27 | $120,099,824 | $4,448,142 | $3,023,894 | Manny Ramirez ($18.3M) |
| 2007 | 28 | $143,026,214 | $5,108,079 | $3,591,667 | Manny Ramirez ($17M) |
| 2008 | 28 | $133,390,035 | $4,763,930 | $2,500,000 | Manny Ramirez ($18.9M) |
| 2009 | 29 | $121,345,999 | $4,184,345 | $1,750,000 | J. D. Drew ($14M) |
| 2010 | 29 | $162,447,333 | $5,601,632 | $3,750,000 | John Lackey ($18.7M) |
| 2011 | 27 | $161,762,475 | $5,991,203 | $5,500,000 | Josh Beckett ($17M) |
| 2012 | 34 | $173,186,617 | $5,093,724 | $1,556,250 | Adrian Gonzalez ($21.9M) |
| 2013 | 29 | $151,530,000 | $5,225,172 | $4,100,000 | John Lackey ($15.9M) |
| 2014 | 31 | $139,019,929 | $4,484,514 | $2,250,000 | Mike Napoli ($16M) |
| 2015 | 32 | $181,103,400 | $5,659,481 | $2,125,000 | Hanley Ramirez ($19.8M) |
| 2016 | 29 | $188,545,761 | $6,501,578 | $1,250,000 | David Price ($30M) |
| # | Player | Salary | Season |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | David Price | $30,000,000 | 2016 (BOS) |
| 2 | Hanley Ramirez | $22,750,000 | 2016 (BOS) |
| 3 | Manny Ramirez | $22,500,000 | 2004 (BOS) |
| 4 | Manny Ramirez | $22,000,000 | 2005 (BOS) |
| 5 | Adrian Gonzalez | $21,857,142 | 2012 (BOS) |
| 6 | Carl Crawford | $20,357,142 | 2012 (BOS) |
| 7 | Rick Porcello | $20,125,000 | 2016 (BOS) |
| 8 | Manny Ramirez | $20,000,000 | 2003 (BOS) |
| 9 | Hanley Ramirez | $19,750,000 | 2015 (BOS) |
| 10 | Manny Ramirez | $18,929,923 | 2008 (BOS) |
| 11 | John Lackey | $18,700,000 | 2010 (BOS) |
| 12 | Manny Ramirez | $18,279,238 | 2006 (BOS) |
| 13 | Pablo Sandoval | $17,600,000 | 2015 (BOS) |
| 14 | Pablo Sandoval | $17,600,000 | 2016 (BOS) |
| 15 | Pedro Martinez | $17,500,000 | 2004 (BOS) |
This page aggregates the Lahman database’s real salary rows (1985-2016) for every identity this franchise played under: Boston Red Sox. 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 $188,545,761 across 29 players.
Salary data: SABR / Lahman baseball database, CC BY-SA 3.0. Aggregated and published by Legends Deck. Nominal dollars; no inflation adjustment.