For the first time in franchise history, the Philadelphia Phillies decided to surpass the $230 million luxury tax threshold when they signed Nick Castellanos to a five-year/$100 million deal before the season.
With the in-season additions of David Robertson, Noah Syndergaard, Edmundo Sosa and Brandon Marsh, Ronald Blum of The Associated Press reports that the team’s payroll now sits at $243 million. Because the Phillies are over the first luxury tax threshold of $230 million but under the second threshold of $250 million, Blum says they’ll owe $2.6 million. That feels like a relative drop in the bucket for managing partner John Middleton and company when you consider the payroll as a whole.