CINCINNATI – The Pirates have the fourth-lowest payroll in the game and that does not bother Major League Baseball.
The Pirates begin the season Thursday with a $74,809,499 million payroll, down from $91 million at the end of last season. The only teams with a lower payroll are the Marlins at $70.6 million, the Blue Jays at $70.1 million and the Rays at $53.5 million.
The Major League Baseball Players Association filed a grievance against the Pirates, Marlins, Athletics and Rays 14 months ago, alleging those teams were misusing the revenue sharing money they receive from Major League Baseball. However, the grievance has yet to be heard and a hearing has not been scheduled.
“Our contention is that all of our clubs are in line with the basic agreement and spending their revenue-sharing in a proper way,” Commissioner Rob Manfred said Thursday before the Pirates and Reds played at Great American Ball Park.
