PHOENIX — The Arizona Diamondbacks set a franchise record for payroll at $188 million in 2025 with a 40-man competitive balance tax number of $220 million.

Managing partner Ken Kendrick expects the payroll to decrease in 2026 after the Diamondbacks fell short of reaching the postseason, but he maintained that the club intends to fund a competitive roster.

“Will we spend $220 (million) next year? I don’t think that we will,” Kendrick told Arizona Sports’ Burns & Gambo. “Will we have a very significant payroll that will allow us to compete and be in the playoffs? I think we will.

“ I think it’ll be a handsome number that will allow us to have a very competitive team. And I wouldn’t want us to back away from the focus on being in the postseason a year from now.”

Kendrick brought up attendance this season at Chase Field, as Arizona drew 2.4 million fans in 2025. That is the highest attendance the team has seen since 2008, a 52,000 difference from last year.

The Diamondbacks have seen an uptick in attendance stemming from the 2023 season, and Kendrick has said he will reinvest those dollars.

“ The money that is there from the revenue we take in, we’re gonna reinvest in the team. So, we’re in a good position to have a very credible commitment financially,” Kendrick said.

What does the Diamondbacks’ payroll look like?

The Diamondbacks shed payroll at the trade deadline by dealing impending free agents Eugenio Suarez, Merrill Kelly, Josh Naylor, Randal Grichuk, Jordan Montgomery and Shelby Miller.

Zac Gallen is entering free agency, while the injured Lourdes Gurriel Jr. has a $13 million player option.

Corbin Burnes — who signed for six years and $210 million last winter — is due $30.8 million in 2026, but he will miss most of the season while recovering from Tommy John surgery.

Several players are arbitration eligible and will receive a raise, including Gabriel Moreno, Ryan Thompson, Ryne Nelson, Alek Thomas, Jake McCarthy and the injured A.J. Puk. The Diamondbacks have non-tender candidates to make decisions on.

Arizona opted to invest long-term in several key pieces early in 2025, extending Geraldo Perdomo, Brandon Pfaadt, Justin Martinez (recovering from Tommy John surgery) and Ketel Marte.

Spotrac lists the Diamondbacks payroll for 2026 at $103 million as it stands, although that does not include arbitration or pre-arbitration salaries.

All that said, Kendrick pointed to the Diamondbacks’ talented core as one worth investing in and building around. That includes Perdomo, Marte, Corbin Carroll and Moreno.

“We have three or four of the very top players in baseball on our team,” Kendrick said. “Very few teams can say that. That’s a core around which you can build, and they’re young. … They are deserving of support from ownership to give them the chance to be as successful as their talent will allow.”

Does that mean Zac Gallen could return to Diamondbacks?

In regards to Gallen’s free agency, Kendrick said, “ I don’t want to say it’s out of the touch of reality that we would be able to work out an arrangement to bring him back.”

Gallen is 30 years old, was an All-Star in 2023 and has been a staple in the rotation since 2019.

He enters free agency coming off his worst statistical season with a 4.83 ERA, but he finished eighth in MLB with 192 innings and was much better over the final two months (3.32 ERA).

The Diamondbacks have uncertainty with the rotation looking at next season with Nelson, Eduardo Rodriguez and Pfaadt the only returners under contract.

Gallen did not want to take off his uniform after his last start on Friday, and he acknowledged on Monday that he would be interested in coming back if the two sides can work it out.

“ I love playing here,” Gallen said. “Kind of laid down roots here. So for me, if I had the opportunity to come back, yeah, of course I would. I would love to be a part of this organization. I’ll have to see what the future holds, and sometimes that’s not always in the cards.”

He said it would go against the grain to not take advantage of the opportunity he faces as a free agent. He will be represented by Scott Boras this winter.

“I told (general manager Mike Hazen) and (manager Torey Lovullo) and (assistant GM Mike Fitzgerald) how much it meant to me to be a part of this organization, how much I appreciate them giving me the opportunity to kind of grow up here, establish myself as a big leaguer and then grow into  the pitcher I am today,” Gallen said.

Spotrac evaluated Gallen’s market value at four years, $74.8 million, an average annual value that ranks seventh among starting pitchers who are unrestricted free agents, have player options or mutual options.

There is the qualifying offer option, which is a one-year, $22 million contract.

When asked about his teammates, Pfaadt said he would love for both Gallen and Kelly to return.