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The New York Yankees opened the 1985 season paying $14,238,204 to 20 players and closed 2016 at $222,997,792 across 29 players, a 15.7× rise in nominal dollars. The franchise’s biggest recorded single-season salary in this span is Alex Rodriguez’s $33,000,000 in 2009.
| Year | Players | Payroll | Average | Median | Top paid |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1985 | 20 | $14,238,204 | $711,910 | $618,750 | Dave Winfield ($1.8M) |
| 1986 | 28 | $18,494,253 | $660,509 | $687,500 | Dave Winfield ($1.9M) |
| 1987 | 35 | $17,099,714 | $488,563 | $340,000 | Don Mattingly ($2M) |
| 1988 | 30 | $19,441,152 | $648,038 | $465,000 | Don Mattingly ($2M) |
| 1989 | 31 | $17,114,375 | $552,077 | $232,390 | Don Mattingly ($2.2M) |
| 1990 | 33 | $20,912,318 | $633,707 | $450,000 | Don Mattingly ($2.5M) |
| 1991 | 28 | $27,344,168 | $976,577 | $781,250 | Don Mattingly ($3.4M) |
| 1992 | 33 | $37,543,334 | $1,137,677 | $500,000 | Danny Tartabull ($5.3M) |
| 1993 | 33 | $42,974,900 | $1,302,270 | $350,000 | Danny Tartabull ($5M) |
| 1994 | 29 | $45,731,334 | $1,576,943 | $810,000 | Jimmy Key ($5.3M) |
| 1995 | 34 | $48,874,851 | $1,437,496 | $500,000 | Jack McDowell ($5.4M) |
| 1996 | 34 | $54,191,792 | $1,593,876 | $880,000 | Ruben Sierra ($6.2M) |
| 1997 | 29 | $62,241,545 | $2,146,260 | $1,100,000 | Cecil Fielder ($9.2M) |
| 1998 | 32 | $66,806,867 | $2,087,715 | $970,834 | Bernie Williams ($8.3M) |
| 1999 | 29 | $86,734,359 | $2,990,840 | $2,000,000 | Bernie Williams ($9.9M) |
| 2000 | 28 | $92,338,260 | $3,297,795 | $1,350,000 | Bernie Williams ($12.4M) |
| 2001 | 31 | $112,287,143 | $3,622,166 | $1,600,000 | Derek Jeter ($12.6M) |
| 2002 | 29 | $125,928,583 | $4,342,365 | $2,500,000 | Derek Jeter ($14.6M) |
| 2003 | 28 | $152,749,814 | $5,455,351 | $4,575,000 | Derek Jeter ($15.6M) |
| 2004 | 29 | $184,193,950 | $6,351,516 | $3,100,000 | Alex Rodriguez ($22M) |
| 2005 | 26 | $208,306,817 | $8,011,801 | $5,833,334 | Alex Rodriguez ($26M) |
| 2006 | 28 | $194,663,079 | $6,952,253 | $2,925,000 | Alex Rodriguez ($21.7M) |
| 2007 | 28 | $189,259,045 | $6,759,252 | $2,250,000 | Jason Giambi ($23.4M) |
| 2008 | 30 | $207,896,789 | $6,929,893 | $2,437,500 | Alex Rodriguez ($28M) |
| 2009 | 26 | $201,449,189 | $7,748,046 | $5,200,000 | Alex Rodriguez ($33M) |
| 2010 | 25 | $206,333,389 | $8,253,336 | $5,500,000 | Alex Rodriguez ($33M) |
| 2011 | 29 | $202,275,028 | $6,975,001 | $2,700,000 | Alex Rodriguez ($32M) |
| 2012 | 29 | $196,522,289 | $6,776,631 | $2,800,000 | Alex Rodriguez ($30M) |
| 2013 | 31 | $231,978,886 | $7,483,190 | $2,850,000 | Alex Rodriguez ($29M) |
| 2014 | 24 | $197,543,907 | $8,230,996 | $4,357,500 | CC Sabathia ($23M) |
| 2015 | 29 | $212,751,957 | $7,336,274 | $3,300,000 | Mark Teixeira ($23.1M) |
| 2016 | 29 | $222,997,792 | $7,689,579 | $4,100,000 | CC Sabathia ($25M) |
| # | Player | Salary | Season |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alex Rodriguez | $33,000,000 | 2009 (NYA) |
| 2 | Alex Rodriguez | $33,000,000 | 2010 (NYA) |
| 3 | Alex Rodriguez | $32,000,000 | 2011 (NYA) |
| 4 | Alex Rodriguez | $30,000,000 | 2012 (NYA) |
| 5 | Alex Rodriguez | $29,000,000 | 2013 (NYA) |
| 6 | Alex Rodriguez | $28,000,000 | 2008 (NYA) |
| 7 | Alex Rodriguez | $26,000,000 | 2005 (NYA) |
| 8 | CC Sabathia | $25,000,000 | 2016 (NYA) |
| 9 | Vernon Wells | $24,642,857 | 2013 (NYA) |
| 10 | CC Sabathia | $24,285,714 | 2010 (NYA) |
| 11 | CC Sabathia | $24,285,714 | 2011 (NYA) |
| 12 | CC Sabathia | $24,285,714 | 2013 (NYA) |
| 13 | Jason Giambi | $23,428,571 | 2007 (NYA) |
| 14 | Jason Giambi | $23,428,571 | 2008 (NYA) |
| 15 | Mark Teixeira | $23,125,000 | 2011 (NYA) |
This page aggregates the Lahman database’s real salary rows (1985-2016) for every identity this franchise played under: New York Yankees. 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 2013 season at $231,978,886 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.