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MLB
Cleveland Guardians 2026 Financial Summary
A current summary of Cleveland Guardians 2026 player cap & cash figures.
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Projected Total Tax
$97,067,768 / 28th
Projected Cash Payroll
$79,210,000 / 30th
2026 Active Roster
| Player (32) | Pos | Age | Type | Luxury Tax | Luxury Tax % League CBT | Cash Salary 2026 | Free Agent Year | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 |
Ramírez José Ramírez | 3B | 33 |
Extension
|
$22,306,000 | 9.14% | $15,000,000 | 2033 |
2 |
Bibee Tanner Bibee | SP | 27 |
Extension
Pre-Arbitration |
$9,600,000 | 3.93% | $4,000,000 | 2031 |
3 |
Kwan Steven Kwan | LF | 28 |
Arbitration 2
|
$7,725,000 | 3.17% | $7,725,000 | 2028 |
4 |
Armstrong Shawn Armstrong | RP | 35 |
Free Agent
|
$5,500,000 | 2.25% | $4,000,000 | 2028 |
5 |
Hedges Austin Hedges | C | 33 |
Extension
Pending Free Agent |
$4,000,000 | 1.64% | $4,000,000 | 2027 |
6 |
Holderman Colin Holderman | RP | 30 |
Free Agent
|
$1,500,000 | 0.61% | $1,500,000 | 2029 |
7 |
Hoskins Rhys Hoskins | 1B | 33 |
Free Agent
|
$1,500,000 | 0.61% | $1,500,000 | 2027 |
8 |
Fry David Fry | C | 30 |
Arbitration 1
Super Two |
$1,375,000 | 0.56% | $1,375,000 | 2030 |
9 |
Festa Matt Festa | RP | 33 |
Arbitration 1
Super Two |
$1,000,000 | 0.41% | $1,000,000 | 2030 |
10 |
Brogdon Connor Brogdon | RP | 31 |
Free Agent
|
$900,000 | 0.37% | $900,000 | 2028 |
11 |
Valera George Valera | RF | 25 |
Pre-Arbitration
|
$820,000 | 0.34% | $820,000 | |
12 |
Rocchio Brayan Rocchio | SS | 25 |
Pre-Arbitration
|
$820,000 | 0.34% | $820,000 | |
13 |
Naylor Bo Naylor | C | 26 |
Pre-Arbitration
|
$820,000 | 0.34% | $820,000 | |
14 |
Schneemann Daniel Schneemann | SS | 29 |
Pre-Arbitration
|
$820,000 | 0.34% | $820,000 | |
15 |
Herrin Tim Herrin | RP | 29 |
Pre-Arbitration
|
$820,000 | 0.34% | $820,000 | |
16 |
Sabrowski Erik Sabrowski | RP | 28 |
Pre-Arbitration
|
$820,000 | 0.34% | $820,000 | |
17 |
Martinez Angel Martinez | CF | 24 |
Pre-Arbitration
|
$820,000 | 0.34% | $820,000 | |
18 |
Gaddis Hunter Gaddis | RP | 28 |
Pre-Arbitration
|
$820,000 | 0.34% | $820,000 | |
19 |
Cecconi Slade Cecconi | SP | 27 |
Pre-Arbitration
|
$820,000 | 0.34% | $820,000 | |
20 |
Halpin Petey Halpin | OF | 24 |
Pre-Arbitration
|
$820,000 | 0.34% | $820,000 | |
21 |
Smith Cade Smith | RP | 27 |
Pre-Arbitration
|
$820,000 | 0.34% | $820,000 | 2030 |
22 |
Arias Gabriel Arias | 2B | 26 |
Pre-Arbitration
|
$820,000 | 0.34% | $820,000 | |
23 |
Genao Angel Genao | SS | 22 |
Pre-Arbitration
|
$820,000 | 0.34% | $820,000 | |
24 |
Watson Khalil Watson | SS | 23 |
Pre-Arbitration
|
$820,000 | 0.34% | $820,000 | |
25 |
Williams Gavin Williams | SP | 26 |
Pre-Arbitration
|
$820,000 | 0.34% | $820,000 | 2030 |
26 |
Manzardo Kyle Manzardo | DH | 25 |
Pre-Arbitration
|
$820,000 | 0.34% | $820,000 | |
27 |
DeLauter Chase DeLauter | RF | 24 |
Pre-Arbitration
|
$820,000 | 0.34% | $820,000 | |
28 |
Pallette Peyton Pallette | SP | 25 |
Pre-Arbitration
|
$820,000 | 0.34% | $820,000 | |
29 |
Messick Parker Messick | SP | 25 |
Pre-Arbitration
|
$820,000 | 0.34% | $820,000 | |
30 |
Walters Andrew Walters | RP | 25 |
Pre-Arbitration
|
$820,000 | 0.34% | $820,000 | |
31 |
Cantillo Joey Cantillo | SP | 26 |
Pre-Arbitration
|
$820,000 | 0.34% | $820,000 | |
32 |
Kayfus C.J. Kayfus | 1B | 24 |
Pre-Arbitration
|
$820,000 | 0.34% | $820,000 |
2026 Suspended/Restricted
Salaries from players who have been suspended/restricted, still counting against the payroll.
| Player (2) | Pos | Age | Type | Luxury Tax | Luxury Tax % League CBT | Cash Salary 2026 | Free Agent Year | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 |
Clase Emmanuel Clase | RP | 28 |
Extension
Pre-Arbitration |
- | - | - | 2029 |
2 |
Ortiz Luis Ortiz | SP | 27 |
Pre-Arbitration
|
- | - | - |
2026 Retained
Cap breakdowns for players who have cap retained. All count against the team's payroll.
| Player (2) | Pos | Age | Type | Luxury Tax | Luxury Tax % League CBT | Cash Salary 2026 | Free Agent Year | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 |
Bieber
Shane Bieber
TRADED
|
SP | 31 |
Retained
|
$1,555,102 | - | - | |
2 |
Straw
Myles Straw
TRADED
|
CF | 31 |
Retained
|
$1,000,000 | - | $1,000,000 |
2026 Luxury Tax Payroll Totals
Tax figures based on payroll data only. Outside revenue sources will be adjusted when available after the regular season.
| Competitive Balance Tax Threshold | $244,000,000 | |
| Guaranteed Contracts | $55,406,000 | 27th |
| Projected Pre-Arbitration Contracts | $13,120,000 | - |
| Injured Contracts | $0 | - |
| Retained Contracts | $2,555,102 | - |
| Player Benefits | $18,000,000 | - |
| Minor Buried League Contracts | $6,320,000 | - |
| Pre-Arbitration Bonus Pool Contribution | $1,666,666 | - |
| Projected Tax Payroll | $97,067,768 | - |
| Projected Competitive Balance Tax Space | $146,932,232 | - |
|
Projected Tax Bill
This team is currently a tax repeater at 20%.
|
$0 | - |
Glossary
First-Time Payor:
- 20% for exceeding by $20M or less
- 32% for exceeding by $20M-$40M
- 62.5% for exceeding by $40M-$60M
- 80% for exceeding by $60M+
Second-Time Payor:
- 30% for exceeding by $20M or less
- 42% for exceeding by $20M-$40M
- 75% for exceeding by $40M-$60M
- 90% for exceeding by $60M+
Third-Time (or more) Payor:
- 50% for exceeding by $20M or less
- 62% for exceeding by $20M-$40M
- 95% for exceeding by $40M-$60M
- 110% for exceeding by $60M+
Teams are considered “tax repeaters” when they exceed the threshold in consecutive seasons. They revert back to First-Time status after completing one season below the threshold.
Luxury Tax salaries are based on the Average Annual Value of all 40-man roster contracts, guaranteed contracts on the 60-day IL, retained salary from trades or releases, buried contracts in the minor leagues, a player benefits stipend, and the required pre-arbitration bonus pool contribution.
Players who are acquired or have contracts purchased during the season are calculated at a rate based on the amount of league days remaining in the season. If multiple years remain on the contract at the time of acquisition, the AAV is recalculated based on the total guaranteed money remaining.
Pre-Arbitration Players (0-3 years of service) are currently estimated at $820,000 ($40k above the $780,000 MLB minimum) Arbitration Salaries (3-6 years of service) are currently estimated based on the level of service (Arbitration 1-4), and Spotrac’s current Market Valuation for that player.
Player Benefits account for insurance, room & board stipends, transportation fees, etc…
The MLB Pre-Arbitration Bonus Pool is a $50 million pot of money created in the 2022 CBA to reward top-performing young players (under three years of service time) who are not yet eligible for salary arbitration. It's funded by all 30 teams, split into award bonuses and a statistical pool based on a version of Wins Above Replacement (WAR).
2026 Minor
Salaries from players currently in the system. denotes a buried salary that counts against the payroll.
| Player (11) | Pos | Age | Type | Luxury Tax | Luxury Tax % | Cash Salary | Free Agent | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
1 Trevor Stephan
|
RP | 30 |
Extension
Pre-Arbitration |
$3,500,000 | - | $3,500,000 | 2029 | |
|
2 Nolan Jones
|
RF | 28 |
Arbitration 1
|
$2,000,000 | - | $2,000,000 | 2029 | |
|
3 Codi Heuer
|
RP | 29 |
Pre-Arbitration
|
$820,000 | 0.34% | $820,000 | ||
|
4 Johnathan Rodriguez
|
OF | 26 |
Pre-Arbitration
|
- | - | $820,000 | ||
|
5 Daniel Espino
|
SP | 25 |
Pre-Arbitration
|
- | - | $820,000 | ||
|
6 Logan Allen
|
SP | 27 |
Pre-Arbitration
|
- | - | $820,000 | ||
|
7 Doug Nikhazy
|
SP | 26 |
Pre-Arbitration
|
- | - | $820,000 | ||
|
8 Franco Aleman
|
RP | 26 |
Pre-Arbitration
|
- | - | $820,000 | ||
|
9 Austin Peterson
|
P | 26 |
Pre-Arbitration
|
- | - | $820,000 | ||
|
10 Juan Brito
|
SS | 24 |
Pre-Arbitration
|
- | - | $820,000 | ||
|
11 Yorman Gómez
|
P | 23 |
Pre-Arbitration
|
- | - | $820,000 |
