Blue Jays now have 5th highest payroll in the majors.

After failed attempts to land Juan Soto, Corbin Burnes, and Roki Sasaki, the Blue Jays struck big when they signed Anthony Santander and Max Scherzer. Those two deals have moved them up the payroll scale for 2025.

Spotrac has the Jays fifth overall, with a total projected payroll of $244MM. The Blue Jays current total allocations are $239MM, so Spotrac expects them to allocate a few more million.

If the Blue Jays were to hit that Spotrac projection, it would put them just above the first luxury tax threshold, which sits at $241MM for the 2025. If they were to stand pat at $239, then they would be just under.

The fact that the Blue Jays are not higher is due to deferred money in Anthony Santander's contract.

This projection of course, doesn't take into account a Vladimir Guerrero Jr. contract extension. If that happens, expect the Blue Jays to reach the second or even third tax threshold. Guerrero stated in a December interview that he is not particularly interested in any deferred money, but if the contract is big enough perhaps he could be swayed.

The Jays being this high on the list also proves that they are willing to spend when it matters and that they are going all in for the 2025 season.

The Blue Jays also have several contracts coming off the books in 2025 and 2026 so that should increase their payroll flexibility even more.