The 2023 World Series matchup between the Arizona Diamondbacks and the Texas Rangers will have its first pitch on Friday.
It’s seen as somewhat of a Cinderella story for both teams. Neither was considered a favorite before the season started, as both were outside the top 10 in terms of World Series betting odds.
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But one thing they don’t have in common is how much they spend on their players. The Rangers’ payroll is $251 million, and the team pays its highest-paid player over $35 million this season. The Diamondbacks’ payroll is $119 million, and the team’s best-paid player makes $11.6 million.
The Rangers had the fourth-highest payroll in Major League Baseball this season, while the Diamondbacks had the 21st highest, out of 30 teams.
The highest-paid player on the Rangers, shortstop Corey Seager, makes triple the amount as Ketel Marte, the highest paid player on Arizona. The Diamondbacks don’t have a single player with a salary over $12 million this season, while the Rangers have five players who make at least that amount.
Unlike in other professional American sports like the NFL and the NBA, in MLB there can be large discrepancies in team payrolls. For example, the team with the highest payroll of the 2023 MLB season was the New York Mets at $343 million, while the Oakland Athletics only spent $62 million — the league average payroll this season was $165 million, according to Spotrac. Teams with the highest payrolls do pay a luxury tax penalty, however.
The Rangers have never won the World Series, and the Diamondbacks won it once, in 2001. The Rangers are seen as slight favorites to win the World Series with the odds of winning at -170 at DraftKings
DKNG,
Sportsbook, which carries an implied probability of 63%.
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