The 2025 Major League Baseball season is upon us, and to make it to October, a team’s pitching bullpen is equally as important as its batting lineup. Some teams, such as the Los Angeles Dodgers, which won last year’s World Series, are sparing no expense on pitching talent.
This year, the Dodgers have baseball’s second-highest payroll, at $306.5 million, according to Spotrac data, and its two-way player, Shohei Ohtani, takes up almost a quarter of that. The New York Mets, which lost to the Dodgers in the 2024 National League pennant race, have the highest payroll in the league due to signing outfielder Juan Soto to a record contract and leaving little room for its bullpen.
This list, though, leaves out starting pitchers who are either out for injury (Gerrit Cole of the New York Yankees out for the season for Tommy John surgery) or are questionable to start the season (Shane Bieber of the Cleveland Guardians due to recovery from Tommy John surgery).
Among some of the statistics calculated by TheStreet via data compiled by Spotrac, which tracks players’ contracts, the top five starting pitchers by team had a median average 2025 salary of $40 million, compared to $5 million for the bottom five. The average age of starting pitchers was 32.5 years old.
The majority of teams begin their season on March 27, 2025.
Here are the starting pitcher salaries for each of the 30 MLB teams in ascending order.
Ben Lively, #39 of the Cleveland Guardians
30. Ben Lively
Team: Cleveland GuardiansAge: 332025 average salary: $2.3 million 1-year contract total: $2.3 millionYears into contract: 1Seasons in MLB (inclusive): 6
Drew Rasmussen, #57 of the Tampa Bay Rays
Julio Aguilar/Getty Images
29. Drew Rasmussen
Team: Tampa Bay RaysAge: 292025 average salary: $4.3 million 2-year contract total: $8.5 millionYears into contract: 1Seasons in MLB (inclusive): 6
Martín Pérez, #54 of the Chicago White Sox
28. Martin Perez
Team: Chicago White SoxAge: 332025 average salary: $5 million 1-year contract total: $5 millionYears into contract: 1Seasons in MLB (inclusive): 14
Brandon Woodruff, #53 of the Milwaukee Brewers
27. Brandon Woodruff
Team: Milwaukee BrewersAge: 322025 average salary: $8.8 million 2-year contract total: $17.5 millionYears into contract: 2Seasons in MLB (inclusive): 8
Michael Soroka, #34 of the Washington Nationals
26. Michael Soroka
Team: Washington NationalsAge: 272025 average salary: $9 million 1-year contract total: $9 millionYears into contract: 1Seasons in MLB (inclusive): 6
Related: Juan Soto’s net worth & the biggest contract in MLB history
Sandy Alcantara #22 of the Miami Marlins in the spring training game against the Houston Astros at CACTI Park of the Palm Beaches on March 15, 2025 in West Palm Beach, Florida. (Photo by Jasen Vinlove/Miami Marlins/Getty Images)
Jasen Vinlove/Miami Marlins/Getty Images
25. Sandy Alcantara
Team: Miami MarlinsAge: 292025 average salary: $11.2 million 5-year contract total: $56 millionYears into contract: 4Seasons in MLB (inclusive): 8
Kyle Freeland, #21 of the Colorado Rockies
Dustin Bradford/Getty Images
24. Kyle Freeland
Team: Colorado RockiesAge: 312025 average salary: $12.9 million 5-year contract total: $64.5 millionYears into contract: 4Seasons in MLB (inclusive): 9
Charlie Morton, #50 of the Baltimore Orioles
Julio Aguilar/Getty Images
23. Charlie Morton
Team: Baltimore Orioles Age: 412025 average salary: $15 million 1-year contract total: $15 millionYears into contract: 1Seasons in MLB (inclusive): 18
Mitch Keller, #23 of the Pittsburgh Pirates
Kevin Sabitus/Getty Images
22. Mitch Keller
Team: Pittsburgh PiratesAge: 282025 average salary: $15.4 million 5-year contract total: $77 millionYears into contract: 2Seasons in MLB (inclusive): 7
Michael Wacha, #52 of the Kansas City Royals
21. Michael Wacha
Team: Kansas City RoyalsAge: 332025 average salary: $17 million 3-year contract total: $51 millionYears into contract: 1Seasons in MLB (inclusive): 13
Jameson Taillon, #50 of the Chicago Cubs
20. Jameson Taillon
Team: Chicago CubsAge: 332025 average salary: $17 million 4-year contract total: $68 millionYears into contract: 3Seasons in MLB (inclusive): 9
Related: Shohei Ohtani’s net worth: World Series champion’s Dodgers contract & endorsements
Jack Flaherty, #9 of the Detroit Tigers
19. Jack Flaherty
Team: Detroit Tigers Age: 292025 average salary: $17.5 million 2-year contract total: $35 millionYears into contract: 1Seasons in MLB (inclusive): 9
Yu Darvish, #11 of the San Diego Padres
Matt Thomas/San Diego Padres/Getty Images
18. Yu Darvish
Team: San Diego PadresAge: 382025 average salary: $18 million 6-year contract total: $108 millionYears into contract: 3Seasons in MLB (inclusive): 13
Framber Valdez, #59 of the Houston Astros
17. Framber Valdez
Team: Houston AstrosAge: 312025 average salary: $18 million 1-year contract total: $18 millionYears into contract: 1Seasons in MLB (inclusive): 8
Pablo Lopez, #49 of the Minnesota Twins
Brace Hemmelgarn/Getty Images
16. Pablo Lopez
Team: Minnesota TwinsAge: 292025 average salary: $18.4 million 4-year contract total: $73.5 millionYears into contract: 2Seasons in MLB (inclusive): 8
Chris Sale, #51 of the Atlanta Braves
Brace Hemmelgarn/Getty Images
15. Chris Sale
Team: Atlanta BravesAge: 352025 average salary: $19 million 2-year contract total: $38 millionYears into contract: 2Seasons in MLB (inclusive): 15
Walker Buehler, #0 of the Boston Red Sox
Icon Sportswire/Getty Images
14. Walker Buehler
Team: Boston Red SoxAge: 302025 average salary: $21.1 million 1-year contract total: $21.1 million Years into contract: 1Seasons in MLB (inclusive): 8
Nick Martinez, #28 of the Cincinnati Reds
13. Nick Martinez
Team: Cincinnati RedsAge: 342025 average salary: $21.1 million 1-year contract total: $21.1 millionYears into contract: 1Seasons in MLB (inclusive): 8
Yusei Kikuchi, #16 of the Los Angeles Angels
12. Yusei Kikuchi
Team: Los Angeles AngelsAge: 332025 average salary: $21.2 million 3-year contract total: $63.7 millionYears into contract: 1Seasons in MLB (inclusive): 7
Luis Castillo, #58 of the Seattle Mariners
Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images
11. Luis Castillo
Team: Seattle MarinersAge: 322025 average salary: $21.6 million 5-year contract total: $108 millionYears into contract: 3Seasons in MLB (inclusive): 9
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Kevin Gausman, #34 of the Toronto Blue Jays
Miguel Rodriguez/Getty Images
10. Kevin Gausman
Team: Toronto Blue JaysAge: 342025 average salary: $22 million 5-year contract total: $110 millionYears into contract: 3Seasons in MLB (inclusive): 13
Luis Severino, #40 of the Athletics
9. Luis Severino
Team: AthleticsAge: 312025 average salary: $22.3 million 3-year contract total: $67 millionYears into contract: 1Seasons in MLB (inclusive): 10
Robbie Ray, #38 of the San Francisco Giants
8. Robbie Ray
Team: San Francisco GiantsAge: 332025 average salary: $23 million 5-year contract total: $115 million*Years into contract: 4Seasons in MLB (inclusive): 12
* Continuation of contract first signed with the Seattle Mariners
Sonny Gray, #54 of the St. Louis Cardinals
7. Sonny Gray
Team: St. Louis CardinalsAge: 352025 average salary: $25 million 3-year contract total: $75 millionYears into contract: 2Seasons in MLB (inclusive): 13
Sean Manaea, #59 of the New York Mets
6. Sean Manaea
Team: New York MetsAge: 332025 average salary: $25 million 3-year contract total: $75 millionYears into contract: 1Seasons in MLB (inclusive): 10
Max Fried, #54 of the New York Yankees
5. Max Fried
Team: New York YankeesAge: 312025 average salary: $27.25 million 8-year contract total: $218 millionYears into contract: 1Seasons in MLB (inclusive): 9
Corbin Burnes, #39 of the Arizona Diamondbacks
Daniel Shirey/Getty Images
4. Corbin Burnes
Team: Arizona DiamondbacksAge: 302025 average salary: $35 million 6-year contract total: $210 millionYears into contract: 1Seasons in MLB (inclusive): 8
Jacob deGrom, #48 of the Texas Rangers
Bailey Orr/Texas Rangers/Getty Images
3. Jacob deGrom
Team: Texas RangersAge: 36 2025 average salary: $40 million 5-year contract total: $185 millionYears into contract: 3Seasons in MLB (inclusive): 12
Zach Wheeler, #45 of the Philadelphia Phillies
Icon Sportswire/Getty Images
2. Zack Wheeler
Team: Philadelphia PhilliesAge: 342025 average salary: $42 million 3-year contract total: $126 millionYears into contract: 1Seasons in MLB (inclusive): 11
Shohei Ohtani, #17 of the Los Angeles Dodgers
YUICHI YAMAZAKI/Getty Images
1. Shohei Ohtani
Team: Los Angeles DodgersAge: 302025 average salary: $70 million 10-year contract total: $700 millionYears into contract: 2Seasons in MLB (inclusive): 9
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