Six-Figure Bonanza: Dodgers, Yankees Players Cash in on…
The Los Angeles Dodgers are World Series champions and the organization is reaping the benefits in a big way. Major League Baseball announced postseason shares for each of the 12 participating teams, and the record-setting $129.1 million prize pool meant there was plenty to go around.
The Dodgers cleaned up as the last team standing, distributing shares worth $477,440.70 each. Despite the pool being more than $21 million bigger than last year, which previously held the record ($107.8 million), the Dodgers’ victory shares were actually a little less than what the 2023 champion Texas Rangers handed out because LA distributed more shares. The Dodgers’ total rewards pool was worth $46,473,177.14, with the team distributing 79 full shares, 17.49 partial shares and $405,000 in cash awards.
The runner-up New York Yankees didn’t do so bad themselves. With a full share for the American League Champions coming in at $354,571.67, the Yankees distributed 71 full shares and 16.38 partial shares after reaching their first World Series since 2009.
While those figures may seem low compared to the wild contracts MLB superstars sign, those postseason awards make a huge difference to players on their first deals. The rookie minimum in baseball this year was $740,000, meaning Dodgers rookies could have earned bonuses of more than 50% of their yearly pay.
The total pool money is determined by 60% of the gate receipts from the first four games of the World Series and LCS, first three of the Division Series, and first two of the Wild Card series. Teams that played on the road in the Wild Card round will have their travel costs deducted to a maximum of $100,000, according to The Athletic.
MLB announces remaining postseason shares
The Dodgers and Yankees weren’t the only ones to take home a nice paycheck from their October exploits. The National League runner-up New York Mets and American League runner-up Cleveland Guardian each earned a pool of $15,491,059.05.
The Mets handed out 68 full shares ($179,948.36) and 18 partial shares, while the Guardians gave out 72 full and 12.48 partial shares worth $182,662.86 each.
The share values decline from there, with the losing teams in each round getting the same pool to dole out however they please. Typically, teams will vote on how many full shares to award, with players often opting to reward club staffers who were around all year and played a role in the team’s success.
As for the teams that failed to make it deep into October, the Division Series losers handed out shares worth between $45,000 and $56,000. The Wild Card losing teams made far less, with the Baltimore Orioles handing out the biggest individual checks of $11,870.49, thanks to only dealing 67 total full shares.
