Opening Day is just four days away. Though the roster is not completely set, we are close enough to the start of the regular season that we can get an idea of what the payroll will be. Since the last projection in January, there have been several changes. Let’s take a look at the updated payroll projection.
Here are some reminders for the projection.
First, here are the projections for the initial roster.
For comparison, Cot’s lists the Brewers’ Opening Day 26-man payroll in 2025 at $108,058,836. That was 24th in MLB.
Here’s a summary of what has changed since the last version:
Overall, the payroll is slightly lower than where it started in 2025. That could still end up slightly higher, though. There are still a few unknowns for the roster, mainly with the pitching staff. Brandon Woodruff and Kyle Harrison could both start the season on the IL, but that is still to be determined. If they open the season on the IL, there will be two more minimum salaries to add. Also, while I have Craig Yoho and Steward Berroa on the IL, it’s not clear if they would be on the major league or minor league IL.
These salaries will fluctuate as the season goes on. Some players have incentives built into their contracts that will raise their salaries. Also, there will be additions and subtractions as the season goes on. Cot’s has an initial projection of $126.3 million for the Brewers’ 40-man roster. Note that this projection does include some of the Brewers’ declined options following the end of the 2025 season. It also includes projected minor league player payments for the 40-man roster, as well as an estimated $3.96 million for injury replacements throughout the season.