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The Kansas City Royals opened the 1985 season paying $9,321,179 to 22 players and closed 2016 at $131,487,125 across 29 players, a 14.1× rise in nominal dollars. The franchise’s biggest recorded single-season salary in this span is James Shields’s $13,500,000 in 2014.
| Year | Players | Payroll | Average | Median | Top paid |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1985 | 22 | $9,321,179 | $423,690 | $337,334 | George Brett ($1M) |
| 1986 | 28 | $13,043,698 | $465,846 | $380,000 | George Brett ($1.5M) |
| 1987 | 27 | $11,828,056 | $438,076 | $225,000 | George Brett ($2.1M) |
| 1988 | 26 | $14,556,562 | $559,868 | $366,500 | George Brett ($2.3M) |
| 1989 | 27 | $18,683,568 | $691,984 | $460,000 | Dan Quisenberry ($2.5M) |
| 1990 | 35 | $23,361,084 | $667,460 | $475,000 | George Brett ($2.3M) |
| 1991 | 21 | $26,319,834 | $1,253,325 | $950,000 | Mark Davis ($3.6M) |
| 1992 | 28 | $33,893,834 | $1,210,494 | $612,500 | Wally Joyner ($4.2M) |
| 1993 | 32 | $41,346,167 | $1,292,068 | $452,500 | David Cone ($5M) |
| 1994 | 27 | $40,541,334 | $1,501,531 | $700,000 | David Cone ($5M) |
| 1995 | 40 | $29,532,834 | $738,321 | $172,000 | Wally Joyner ($4.8M) |
| 1996 | 33 | $20,281,250 | $614,583 | $180,000 | Kevin Appier ($5.1M) |
| 1997 | 37 | $34,655,000 | $936,622 | $240,000 | Jay Bell ($5M) |
| 1998 | 39 | $36,862,500 | $945,192 | $230,000 | Dean Palmer ($5.8M) |
| 1999 | 37 | $26,225,000 | $708,784 | $235,000 | Kevin Appier ($4.8M) |
| 2000 | 28 | $23,433,000 | $836,893 | $287,500 | Johnny Damon ($4M) |
| 2001 | 28 | $35,422,500 | $1,265,089 | $372,500 | Roberto Hernandez ($6M) |
| 2002 | 29 | $47,257,000 | $1,629,552 | $800,000 | Mike Sweeney ($8M) |
| 2003 | 26 | $40,518,000 | $1,558,385 | $313,500 | Mike Sweeney ($11M) |
| 2004 | 30 | $47,609,000 | $1,586,967 | $436,250 | Mike Sweeney ($11M) |
| 2005 | 27 | $36,881,000 | $1,365,963 | $352,000 | Mike Sweeney ($11M) |
| 2006 | 29 | $47,294,000 | $1,630,828 | $500,000 | Mike Sweeney ($11M) |
| 2007 | 31 | $67,116,500 | $2,165,048 | $550,000 | Mike Sweeney ($11M) |
| 2008 | 26 | $58,245,500 | $2,240,212 | $1,306,250 | Jose Guillen ($12M) |
| 2009 | 26 | $70,519,333 | $2,712,282 | $1,600,000 | Jose Guillen ($12M) |
| 2010 | 27 | $71,405,210 | $2,644,637 | $1,700,000 | Gil Meche ($12.4M) |
| 2011 | 26 | $35,712,000 | $1,373,538 | $925,000 | Joakim Soria ($4M) |
| 2012 | 30 | $60,916,225 | $2,030,541 | $870,000 | Billy Butler ($8.5M) |
| 2013 | 27 | $80,091,725 | $2,966,360 | $1,000,000 | Ervin Santana ($13M) |
| 2014 | 25 | $74,594,075 | $2,983,763 | $1,362,500 | James Shields ($13.5M) |
| 2015 | 27 | $112,107,025 | $4,152,112 | $2,640,000 | Alex Gordon ($12.5M) |
| 2016 | 29 | $131,487,125 | $4,534,039 | $4,250,000 | Alex Gordon ($12M) |
| # | Player | Salary | Season |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | James Shields | $13,500,000 | 2014 (KCA) |
| 2 | Ervin Santana | $13,000,000 | 2013 (KCA) |
| 3 | Alex Gordon | $12,500,000 | 2015 (KCA) |
| 4 | Gil Meche | $12,400,000 | 2010 (KCA) |
| 5 | Jose Guillen | $12,000,000 | 2008 (KCA) |
| 6 | Jose Guillen | $12,000,000 | 2009 (KCA) |
| 7 | Jose Guillen | $12,000,000 | 2010 (KCA) |
| 8 | Alex Gordon | $12,000,000 | 2016 (KCA) |
| 9 | Gil Meche | $11,400,000 | 2008 (KCA) |
| 10 | Gil Meche | $11,400,000 | 2009 (KCA) |
| 11 | Mike Sweeney | $11,000,000 | 2003 (KCA) |
| 12 | Mike Sweeney | $11,000,000 | 2004 (KCA) |
| 13 | Mike Sweeney | $11,000,000 | 2005 (KCA) |
| 14 | Mike Sweeney | $11,000,000 | 2006 (KCA) |
| 15 | Mike Sweeney | $11,000,000 | 2007 (KCA) |
This page aggregates the Lahman database’s real salary rows (1985-2016) for every identity this franchise played under: Kansas City Royals. 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 $131,487,125 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.