Twins' projected payroll: down almost $5 million

The Associated Press reported the Twins' 2015 Opening Day payroll to be $108,945,000. A look at how the 2016 project payroll compares to that figure:

Joe Mauer$23,000,000

Ervin Santana$13,500,000

Ricky Nolasco$12,000,000

Phil Hughes$9,200,000

Trevor Plouffe$7,250,000

Glen Perkins$6,300,000

Kurt Suzuki$6,000,000

Kevin Jepsen$5,312,500

Tommy Milone$4,500,000

Brian Dozier$3,000,000

Byung Ho Park*$2,750,000

Casey Fien$2,275,000

Eduardo Escobar$2,150,000

Eduardo Nunez$1,475,000

Subtotal (14 players)$98,712,500

11 players at MLB minimum ($507,500)**$5,582,500

25-player projected total$104,295,000

Difference from 2015 Opening Day payroll–$4,650,000

* — Does not include $12,850,000 posting fee paid in November to Nexen Heroes for rights to sign Park, or $3,212,500 if prorated over Park's four-year contract.

** — Actual figure will be higher; like many teams, Twins commonly add modest raises to minimum-salary contracts, a practice that added about $150,000 to their payroll in 2015.