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The Detroit Tigers opened the 1985 season paying $10,348,143 to 20 players and closed 2016 at $194,876,481 across 31 players, a 18.8× rise in nominal dollars. The franchise’s biggest recorded single-season salary in this span is Justin Verlander’s $28,000,000 in 2015.
| Year | Players | Payroll | Average | Median | Top paid |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1985 | 20 | $10,348,143 | $517,407 | $562,500 | Darrell Evans ($1.1M) |
| 1986 | 27 | $12,335,714 | $456,878 | $325,000 | Kirk Gibson ($1.2M) |
| 1987 | 23 | $12,122,881 | $527,082 | $420,000 | Jack Morris ($1.9M) |
| 1988 | 23 | $12,869,571 | $559,547 | $400,000 | Jack Morris ($2M) |
| 1989 | 26 | $15,146,404 | $582,554 | $427,500 | Jack Morris ($2M) |
| 1990 | 33 | $17,593,238 | $533,128 | $336,000 | Jack Morris ($2.1M) |
| 1991 | 25 | $23,838,333 | $953,533 | $650,000 | Alan Trammell ($2.2M) |
| 1992 | 28 | $27,322,834 | $975,816 | $265,000 | Cecil Fielder ($4.5M) |
| 1993 | 31 | $38,150,165 | $1,230,650 | $475,000 | Mike Henneman ($4.3M) |
| 1994 | 31 | $41,446,501 | $1,336,984 | $800,000 | Cecil Fielder ($4.2M) |
| 1995 | 33 | $37,044,168 | $1,122,551 | $215,000 | Cecil Fielder ($9.2M) |
| 1996 | 32 | $23,438,000 | $732,438 | $174,500 | Cecil Fielder ($9.2M) |
| 1997 | 29 | $17,272,000 | $595,586 | $310,000 | Travis Fryman ($6.4M) |
| 1998 | 35 | $24,065,000 | $687,571 | $287,500 | Bobby Higginson ($2.4M) |
| 1999 | 34 | $36,489,666 | $1,073,225 | $340,000 | Dean Palmer ($5M) |
| 2000 | 27 | $58,265,167 | $2,157,969 | $1,100,000 | Juan Gonzalez ($7.5M) |
| 2001 | 28 | $53,416,167 | $1,907,720 | $537,500 | Dean Palmer ($7.5M) |
| 2002 | 28 | $55,048,000 | $1,966,000 | $1,000,000 | Dean Palmer ($8M) |
| 2003 | 26 | $49,168,000 | $1,891,077 | $320,000 | Bobby Higginson ($11.8M) |
| 2004 | 28 | $46,832,000 | $1,672,571 | $362,500 | Bobby Higginson ($8.8M) |
| 2005 | 28 | $69,092,000 | $2,467,571 | $962,500 | Bobby Higginson ($8.8M) |
| 2006 | 28 | $82,612,866 | $2,950,460 | $865,000 | Magglio Ordonez ($16.2M) |
| 2007 | 29 | $94,800,369 | $3,268,978 | $2,500,000 | Magglio Ordonez ($13.2M) |
| 2008 | 30 | $137,685,196 | $4,589,507 | $1,487,500 | Magglio Ordonez ($15.8M) |
| 2009 | 28 | $115,085,145 | $4,110,184 | $2,237,500 | Magglio Ordonez ($19M) |
| 2010 | 27 | $122,864,928 | $4,550,553 | $1,500,000 | Miguel Cabrera ($20M) |
| 2011 | 27 | $105,700,231 | $3,914,823 | $1,300,000 | Miguel Cabrera ($20M) |
| 2012 | 29 | $132,300,000 | $4,562,069 | $1,100,000 | Prince Fielder ($23M) |
| 2013 | 24 | $145,989,500 | $6,082,896 | $3,750,000 | Prince Fielder ($23M) |
| 2014 | 23 | $152,855,500 | $6,645,891 | $2,500,000 | Miguel Cabrera ($22M) |
| 2015 | 25 | $172,284,750 | $6,891,390 | $3,000,000 | Justin Verlander ($28M) |
| 2016 | 31 | $194,876,481 | $6,286,338 | $900,000 | Miguel Cabrera ($28M) |
| # | Player | Salary | Season |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Justin Verlander | $28,000,000 | 2015 (DET) |
| 2 | Miguel Cabrera | $28,000,000 | 2016 (DET) |
| 3 | Justin Verlander | $28,000,000 | 2016 (DET) |
| 4 | Prince Fielder | $23,000,000 | 2012 (DET) |
| 5 | Prince Fielder | $23,000,000 | 2013 (DET) |
| 6 | Justin Upton | $22,125,000 | 2016 (DET) |
| 7 | Miguel Cabrera | $22,000,000 | 2014 (DET) |
| 8 | Miguel Cabrera | $22,000,000 | 2015 (DET) |
| 9 | Miguel Cabrera | $21,000,000 | 2012 (DET) |
| 10 | Miguel Cabrera | $21,000,000 | 2013 (DET) |
| 11 | Justin Verlander | $20,100,000 | 2012 (DET) |
| 12 | Justin Verlander | $20,100,000 | 2013 (DET) |
| 13 | Miguel Cabrera | $20,000,000 | 2010 (DET) |
| 14 | Miguel Cabrera | $20,000,000 | 2011 (DET) |
| 15 | Justin Verlander | $20,000,000 | 2014 (DET) |
This page aggregates the Lahman database’s real salary rows (1985-2016) for every identity this franchise played under: Detroit Tigers. 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 $194,876,481 across 31 players.
Salary data: SABR / Lahman baseball database, CC BY-SA 3.0. Aggregated and published by Legends Deck. Nominal dollars; no inflation adjustment.