Mets Set to Pay Record $101M 2023 MLB Luxury Tax Bill; Finished 4th in NL East

The luxury tax was not kind to the New York Mets this season.

The Mets were hit with a tax bill that exceeded $100 million, setting a new mark for the most a team has ever had to pay in MLB history, according to the Associated Press. The Mets' $101 million bill more than doubled the previous mark of $43.6 million, which was paid by the 2015 Los Angeles Dodgers.

The Mets didn't see much return on their investment in 2023, finishing 75-87 and in fourth place in the NL East. It marked the sixth time in seven seasons that the Mets failed to qualify for the playoffs and it came in a season when the payroll exceeded $374 million.

The Mets are not the only team paying the tax. The San Diego Padres, New York Yankees, Los Angeles Dodgers, Philadelphia Phillies, Toronto Blue Jays, Atlanta Braves and Texas Rangers all had to pay up as well.

Still, no team was as punished as the Mets, who nearly had to pay more after the projected payroll was $384 million on June 30. Parting ways with Max Scherzer, Justin Verlander, David Robertson and Mark Canha at the deadline helped shed some salary and saved the team approximately $8.4 in tax dollars.

The Mets will likely pay the tax in 2024 as well, as the first threshold is set at $237 million. Per Spotrac, the Mets have a projected payroll of $255 million for 2024.