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.
The two-time All-Star reliever collected 117 saves over 13 seasons, the first six of which were with the Twins.
