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A18 SPORTS
Friday 20 december 2019
APNewsBreak: Red Sox, Yanks, Cubs sent 2019 luxury tax bills

By RONALD BLUM to lead the major leagues
AP Baseball Writer next year after reaching a
NEW YORK (AP) — Boston record $324 million, nine-
will pay a Red Sox record year contract with pitcher
$13.4 million luxury tax after Gerrit Cole.
failing to make the playoffs Other teams with significant
and the New York Yankees hikes included Cincinnati
finished with a $6.7 million ($34 million), the Chicago
bill, likely a fraction of what White Sox ($26 million), Mil-
they will pay next year. waukee ($25 million), the
Three teams owe tax, ac- Chicago Cubs ($22 million)
cording to end-of-year fig- and World Series champion
ures sent to clubs Wednes- Washington ($21 million).
day and obtained by The Showing a wide disparity,
Associated Press. The Chi- the top 50 players aver-
cago Cubs must pay $7.6 aged $24.1 million while the
million following a season listed major league salary
that ended with a Septem- of the roughly other 1,500
ber fade and no postsea- Gerrit Cole poses at Yankee Stadium as the newest New York Yankees player is introduced during players who spent at least
son berth. a baseball media availability, Wednesday, Dec. 18, 2019 in New York. The pitcher agreed to a one day on a big league
New York has run up a to- 9-year $324 million contract. Associated Press roster this year averaged
tal of $348 million in tax $2.4 million.
since the payroll restraint pion Washington ($205 mil- Manny Machado and A.J. in 2018 to $117 million this Next year's tax starts at $208
system began in 2003, ow- lion) and the Los Angeles Pollock. Those bonuses are year. Baltimore cut from million, and New York's rate
ing money in each year Dodgers ($205 million). prorated over the length of $167 million in 2017 to $137 will rise from 20% to 30% on
except 2018. The Los An- Five of the top 10 spend- each contract, and pay- million in 2018 to $83 million the first $20 million over,
geles Dodgers are second ers missed the playoffs, rolls totaled $4.219 billion, this year. 32% to 42% on the next $20
at $150 million, followed by with the Red Sox and Cubs down from $4.227 billion in Toronto fell from $165 mil- million and 62.5% to 75% on
the Red Sox at $50 million joined by San Francisco 2018 and $4.245 billion in lion in 2017 to $157 million any amount above $248
and the Cubs at $11 million. ($183 million), the Los An- 2017. in 2018 to $120 million this million. If the Yankees ex-
This year's initial tax thresh- geles Angels ($166 million) But teams set a record at year, and Kansas City from ceed $248 million, which
old was $206 million, count- and Philadelphia ($161 mil- $4.7 billion in the compu- $154 million in 2017 to $127 now appears likely, their
ing payrolls by average lion). tation by average annual million in 2018 to $102 mil- top selection in the June
annual values and includ- Just two teams from the values, an increase of $157 lion this season. Under new 2021 amateur draft would
ing earned bonuses, ad- dozen lowest payrolls million that follows the lon- CEO Derek Jeter, Miami be dropped 10 places.
justments for cash transac- reached the postseason. ger-term trend. That came shaved from $117 million in Checks for the competitive
tions, option buyouts and Tampa Bay (last at $67 mil- after an offseason when 2017 to $90 million in 2018 balance tax, as it is normal-
just over $14 million per lion) defeated Oakland the clubs committed $3.88 to $76 million this year. ly known, go to the com-
team in benefits. (26th at $96 million) in the billion in guaranteed mon- Big one-season drops this missioner's office and are
Among regular payrolls, AL wild-card game, then ey, their biggest spending year included San Francis- due by Jan. 21. The first $13
which include salaries, lost to Houston in a five- spree ever. Atlanta, Cincin- co ($27 million), and Arizo- million of tax money is used
prorated shares of signing game Division Series. nati, Colorado, Houston, na, Cleveland and Seattle to fund player benefits
bonuses and earned bo- Overall spending on regu- Milwaukee, Oakland, San ($23 million each). and 50% of the remainder
nuses, the Red Sox topped lar payrolls dropped for the Diego and St. Louis had Large rises were headed will be used to fund player
the major leagues for the third straight year, an ab- their highest AAV payrolls. by Philadelphia, up $54 mil- Individual Retirement Ac-
second straight season at erration caused by large Among regular pay- lion to $161 million, and the counts. The other 50% of
$228 million. The Yankees signing bonuses for Mike rolls, which better display Yankees, who rose by $43 the remainder will be given
were next at $226 million, Trout, Alex Bregman, Ja- year-to-year shifts, Detroit million. New York dropped to teams not over the tax
followed by the Cubs ($220 cob deGrom, Paul Gold- dropped from $191 mil- to sixth in 2018, rose to sec- threshold — $272,979 per
million), World Series cham- schmidt, Clayton Kershaw, lion in 2017 to $133 million ond this year and figures club.q

APNewsBreak: Union files

grievance on behalf of Ellsbury

By RONALD BLUM ment was made. Barring a Atlanta without the team’s
AP Baseball Writer settlement, the grievance permission.
NEW YORK (AP) — The Ma- will be heard by arbitrator Ellsbury contends any treat-
jor League Baseball Play- Mark Irvings. ment he received without
ers Association has filed a New York converted Ells- authorization was for a
grievance against the New bury’s $153 million, seven- non-baseball-related injury
York Yankees in an attempt year contract to non-guar- or condition, which does
to regain the remaining $26 anteed, contending he not require the club’s con-
million due released out- violated the deal by get- sent.
fielder Jacoby Ellsbury. ting unauthorized medical Ellsbury has not played
The grievance was dis- treatment, then released since 2017 because of a
In this Aug. 30, 2017, file photo, New York Yankees' Jacoby closed to The Associated the 36-year-old outfielder variety of ailments. He is
Ellsbury reacts after grounding out to end the sixth inning in the Press by a person familiar on Nov. 20. The Yankees owed more than $21.1 mil-
first game of the baseball team's doubleheader against the with the process who spoke said he was treated by Dr. lion for 2020 plus a $5 mil-
Cleveland Indians at Yankee Stadium in New York.
Associated Press on condition of anonym- Viktor Bouquette of Pro- lion buyout of a $21 million
ity because no announce- gressive Medical Center in team option for 2021.q