Here's where the Cleveland Guardians' payroll stands at the beginning of November.
How much the Cleveland Guardians have spent on their big-league roster over the last few seasons has been a key talking point among fans and MLB analysts. No matter how you break it up, the Guardians have been towards the back half of the back half of MLB’s payroll, even with the team winning back-to-back American League Central crowns.
As the Guardians head into the offseason, they should be in a position to make some moves in free agency, via trade, or by handing out extensions. Let’s break down why.
Starting with where the Guardians finished last year, FanGraphs estimated Cleveland's final 2025 payroll to be around $102 million.
Cleveland’s Guaranteed Money for 2026
They currently have $35.65 million on the books for the 2026 season, including Jose Ramirez ($21M), Tanner Bibee ($4.4M), Austin Hedges ($4.0M), and Trevor Stephan ($3.5M). Plus, Cleveland still reportedly owes Myles Straw $2.75 million, even though he played with the Toronto Blue Jays all of last season.
The Guardians had the opportunity to add $6 million to the books if they picked up John Means’ team option for the 2026 season, but they opted to let the 32-year-old hit free agency instead, saving them those dollars.
The Guardians’ Arbitration-Eligible Players
The Guardians also have several players who are arbitration-eligible this offseason, including Steven Kwan, Nolan Jones, Sam Hentges, David Fry, Matt Festa, and Will Brennan. Looking at MLB Trade Rumors’ arbitration projections, Cleveland could pay up to $15.2 million to bring all.
Ben Livley and Kolby Allard were part of this group, but were outrighted and elected free agency on Thursday.
For those keeping track, that brings the Guardians to a roughly $50.85 million payroll for the 2026 season.
Sep 27, 2025; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Guardians left fielder Steven Kwan (38) hugs president of baseball operations Chris Antonetti after the Guardians beat the Texas Rangers to secure a playoff berth at Progressive Field. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn ImagesThe Emmanuel Clase and Luis Ortiz Situation
Okay, let’s talk about it. Emmanuel Clase is owed $6.4 million for the 2026 season, and Luis Ortiz is in line to earn just under $800K next year.
That said, who knows if they’ll ever throw another pitch in MLB again, considering they’re still in the middle of a gambling investigation, and past probes have resulted in lifetime bans for players found guilty.
If Clase and Ortiz are on Cleveland’s payroll in 2026, then that brings the total to roughly $58.95 million.
Pre-Arbitration Eligible Guardians
To make things simple, the Guardians have 26 players (excluding Ortiz since he was already covered) on the 40-man roster, who will earn a total of $11.5 million.
Where The Guardians Stand Right Now
Currently, the Guardians are looking at a payroll of approximately $61-69 million for the 2026 season, depending on the outcome of negotiations with Clase and Ortiz.
Considering the team has had a payroll of around $98-102 million the last few seasons, that gives Cleveland about $30 million to work with, if they plan to have a budget similar to what they’ve carried the last few years.