Not all Major League Baseball salaries are created equal.
And sometimes, they seem to make no sense whatsoever.
Some players are paid way more than you'd think. Others, not nearly enough. The list of salaries for this year's Arizona Diamondbacks players certainly include multiple examples of both.
Here's a look at five incredible facts about the D-backs' 2016 payroll.
1. A total of 21 D-backs players – 19 on the Opening Day roster and two who will start the season on the disabled list -- will make less this season combined than will new No. 1 starting pitcher Zack Greinke. The 32-year-old Greinke will make $31.8 million this season; those 21 players will combine for just over $28 million.
2. To put Greinke’s salary into further perspective: The D-backs’ other four starting pitchers entering the season (Shelby Miller, Patrick Corbin, Rubby De La Rosa and Robbie Ray) will combine for less than $9.8 million this season, less than one-third (30.6 percent) of Greinke’s salary.
3. D-backs left fielder David Peralta had an outstanding 2015 campaign, boasting a .312 batting average, 17 home runs, 78 RBI and a National League-best 10 triples. But the 28-year-old will make just $529,600 this season. For comparison's sake, backup left fielder Rickie Weeks, whom the D-backs signed to a minor-league contract a month ago, will make roughly three times that amount ($1.5 million).
4. The D-backs signed right fielder/third baseman Yasmany Tomas to a mega multi-year contract before last season began, and as such, he’ll make $7.5 million this year. That makes him the second-highest-paid player on the team (though well behind Greinke). Tomas has a ton of potential, he still has a long way to go; however, his salary isn’t much less than the combined pay of 2015 All-Stars Paul Goldschmidt and A.J. Pollock, who will combine for $9.3 million this year.
5. Also making more than Goldschmidt this season is relief pitcher Tyler Clippard, whose 2016 salary is $6.1 million. Clippard will also make more than closer Brad Ziegler’s $5.5 million, and the other relievers on the starting roster will combine for less than the salary of both men (just over $5 million).
Arizona Diamondbacks’ 2016 salaries:
Zack Greinke: $31,799,030
Yasmany Tomas: $7,500,000
Tyler Clippard: $6,100,000
Paul Goldschmidt: $5,833,333
Brad Ziegler: $5,500,000
Shelby Miller: $4,350,000
Welington Castillo: $3,700,000
A.J. Pollock (disabled list): $3,500,000
Daniel Hudson: $2,700,000
Jean Segura: $2,600,000
Patrick Corbin: $2,525,000
Rubby De La Rosa: $2,350,000
Josh Collmenter (disabled list): $1,825,000
Rickie Weeks: $1,500,000
Randall Delgado: $1,275,000
Chris Owings: $530,500
David Peralta: $529,600
Nick Ahmed: $521,600
Robbie Ray: $521,000
Jake Lamb: $520,300
Andrew Chafin: $519,700
Chris Herrmann: $516,900
Phil Gosselin: $513,900
Silvino Bracho: $509,300
Brandon Drury: $508,900
Socrates Brito: $508,500
Jake Barrett: $507,500
