With the season a quarter of the way through, I thought it would be a good time to do a quick update on how the payroll has changed since opening day. Remember, the impact of every move is judged as if it’s the last, with future moves—such as an expected option—not being calculated until they happen.
To date, the biggest impact to the estimate has been the injury to Oneil Cruz. Mark Mathias was recalled, taking his place and raising payroll $479,941. That increase was multiplied when the team went fishing for another shortstop option, selecting the contract of Chris Owings and optioning Mathias back to Indianapolis.