MLB Moneyball Rankings 2025—Which Team Got the Most Value from Its Roster?
The wide range of advanced statistics available in today's game has changed the way talent is evaluated and teams are assembled across Major League Baseball.
The origins of that shift in philosophy can be traced back to the Moneyball days in the Oakland Athletics organization during the early 2000s.
Whether it's a small-market club trying to squeeze the most out of every spot on the roster or a large-market team with a seemingly endless cash flow, every dollar has to be spent with a clear purpose.
It's all about getting the most value out of players, from pre-arbitration guys contributing at a young age to big-money stars living up to their lofty paychecks.
So, which club got the most value out of its payroll in 2025?
Buckle up.
Methodology
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There are a lot of numbers to digest here, so a quick explanation.
Total Net Value was the ultimate factor in determining where each team landed in the rankings and was calculated as follows:
Step 1: Find each player's WAR total for the 2025 season, courtesy of Baseball Reference.
Step 2: Based on the FanGraphs value metric, the market value of 1 WAR was once again right around $8 million. So, from there, each player's WAR from Step 1 was multiplied by eight to give us the player's 2025 value in millions of dollars.
Step 3: Each player's 2025 salary was then subtracted from his 2025 value, resulting in his 2024 net value. Player salaries came from the team pages of Spotrac.
After that, the cumulative net values of all players who were part of the MLB payroll at any point in 2025 were totaled to determine each team's total net value.
Included is a look at each team's five best and five worst values, along with a notable observation for each club's value breakdown.
For those of you looking for a complete picture of your favorite team, a link to a full breakdown in the form of a Google Sheets document can be found under the total net value for each club.
30. Colorado Rockies
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Total Net Value: -$155.9 million
5 Best Values
- C Hunter Goodman: $28.8 million
- RP Jimmy Herget: $23.2 million
- RP Victor Vodnik: $13.6 million
- OF Jordan Beck: $6.5 million
- RP Juan Mejia: $4.2 million
A 32-year-old journeyman playing for his fifth team in seven years when he joined the Rockies, Jimmy Herget logged a 2.48 ERA, 1.18 WHIP and 81 strikeouts in 83.1 innings en route to a 3-WAR season while earning just $850,000.
5 Worst Values
- DH Kris Bryant: -$31.0 million
- SP Germán Márquez: -$22.8 million
- SP Antonio Senzatela: -$15.2 million
- 1B Michael Toglia: -$14.2 million
- SP Bradley Blalock: -$13.1 million
The Rockies still owe Kris Bryant another $27 million annually in 2026, 2027 and 2028, and a degenerative back condition leaves his MLB future in doubt as he enters the back half of his seven-year, $182 million deal.
29. Los Angeles Angels
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Total Net Value: -$52.7 million
5 Best Values
With a 4.76 ERA in 164.2 innings, Kyle Hendricks ended up providing solid value on a modest one-year, $2.5 million deal. The longtime Cubs starter averaged 86.2 mph with his fastball and again leaned heavily on his command and ability to change speeds.
5 Worst Values
Anthony Rendon ($38.6 million, fifth) and Mike Trout ($37.1 million, seventh) were two of the seven highest-paid players in baseball in 2025, and they provided a combined 1.5 WAR, with all of that production coming from Trout as Rendon spent the year recovering from hip surgery.
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28. New York Mets
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Total Net Value: -$16.7 million
5 Best Values
- IF Brett Baty: $24.1 million
- C Francisco Alvarez: $14.5 million
- SP Nolan McLean: $14.2 million
- SS Francisco Lindor: $13.1 million
- C Luis Torrens: $8.1 million
Tip of the cap to Francisco Lindor for providing significant positive value on a $32.5 million salary, delivering his fourth straight 5-WAR season while continuing to be one of the best all-around shortstops in baseball. In five seasons with the Mets, he has racked up 27.3 WAR while starting to build a legitimate Hall of Fame case.
5 Worst Values
- SP Sean Manaea: -$23.4 million
- SP Frankie Montas: -$21.8 million
- DH Starling Marte: -$12.8 million
- RP Ryne Stanek: -$12.8 million
- OF Juan Soto: -$12.3 million
Considering he was the highest-paid player in baseball with a $61.9 million salary, Juan Soto did not end up being a bad value compared to some of the league's other high-priced stars. The bigger misstep last offseason was paying Sean Manaea and Frankie Montas a combined $37.2 million.
27. Washington Nationals
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Total Net Value: -$11.9 million
5 Best Values
James Wood, CJ Abrams and MacKenzie Gore were all acquired in the blockbuster deal that sent Juan Soto to the San Diego Padres, and now they stand as the most valuable players on the Nationals roster. The challenge now is building out a competitive roster around them.
5 Worst Values
While he is not listed above since he was not an active player in 2025, Stephen Strasburg still dragged down the Nationals' total net value with the $32,811,200 he was paid as part of his retirement settlement.
26. Los Angeles Dodgers
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Total Net Value: $9.7 million
5 Best Values
Considering they cost the Dodgers more than $1 billion combined when they were signed prior to the 2024 season, seeing Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto ranked among the best values on the L.A. roster speaks volumes to the impact they made in 2025.
5 Worst Values
While they were full go in the postseason, Blake Snell (11 GS, 61.1 IP) and Tyler Glasnow (18 GS, 90.1 IP) were both slowed by injuries during the regular season, so seeing them pop up among the worst value should not come as a surprise.
25. Baltimore Orioles
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Total Net Value: $42.8 million
5 Best Values
Trevor Rogers played on a $2,085,600 salary in his second year of arbitration eligibility, and even with that figure projected to jump to $6 million in 2026, he still has a chance to be one of the best bargains in the game if he can replicate his 2025 performance. The 27-year-old had a 1.81 ERA and 0.90 WHIP in 109.2 innings for a 5.5-WAR season.
5 Worst Values
Slugger Tyler O'Neill signed a three-year, $49.5 million deal last offseason following a 31-homer season with the Red Sox, but the oft-injured outfielder again struggled to stay on the field in 2025. He played just 54 games in his Orioles debut, and he hit .199 with minus-0.6 WAR when he did take the field.
24. Atlanta Braves
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Total Net Value: $54.9 million
5 Best Values
- 1B Matt Olson: $26.0 million
- C Drake Baldwin: $25.6 million
- SP Spencer Schwellenbach: $16.8 million
- SP Hurston Waldrep: $11.0 million
- SP Grant Holmes: $10.4 million
Somewhat overshadowed by a disappointing overall season for the team and a number of injuries up and down the roster, Matt Olson put together a 6-WAR season, posting a 138 OPS with 41 doubles, 29 home runs and 95 RBI while also winning a Gold Glove.
5 Worst Values
- 3B Austin Riley: -$11.6 million
- RP Joe Jiménez: -$9.0 million
- RP Reynaldo López: -$8.0 million
- SP Didier Fuentes: -$7.3 million
- IF David Fletcher: -$6.5 million
Reynaldo López (25 GS, 1.99 ERA, 135.2 IP, 5.1 WAR) and Joe Jiménez (69 G, 2.62 ERA, 68.2 IP, 1.8 WAR) were two of Atlanta's best pitchers in 2024, but they logged a combined five innings and 0.0 WAR this year while spending the bulk of the year on the injured list.
23. St. Louis Cardinals
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Total Net Value: $68.0 million
5 Best Values
Brendan Donovan earned a modest $2.85 million in his first year of arbitration, and he was the WAR leader and lone All-Star selection for a Cardinals team that logged its second losing season in the last three years. Will he be on the move this winter?
5 Worst Values
Veteran Miles Mikolas earned $17.7 million in the final season of a three-year, $55.75 million deal, and he struggled to a 4.84 ERA and 5.03 FIP over 156.1 innings. He provided a 4.98 ERA and 2.0 WAR in 529.1 innings over the life of that ill-advised extension.
22. San Francisco Giants
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Total Net Value: $74.6 million
5 Best Values
Despite a glacial start, Willy Adames ended up providing positive net value in the first season of his seven-year, $182 million contract. He will earn $13.1 million again in 2026 before his back-loaded deal pays him $31.1 million over the final five seasons, so positive value could be harder to come by going forward.
5 Worst Values
Pitching on a one-year, $15 million deal, Justin Verlander had an up-and-down year, but he finished strong with a 2.56 ERA in 52.2 innings over his final nine starts. The 42-year-old will be a first-ballot Hall of Famer whenever he decides to hang it up, but a similar deal could await him this winter if he decides to keep pitching.
21. Texas Rangers
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Total Net Value: $78.3 million
5 Best Values
Veterans Corey Seager ($32.5 million, second) and Nathan Eovaldi ($22.1 million, fourth) were two of the highest-paid players on the Rangers roster, and both missed some time to injury, but they still ranked among the best values for Texas.
5 Worst Values
Even with a 2.97 ERA, 0.92 WHIP and 185 strikeouts in 172.2 innings over 30 starts, Jacob deGrom was just a 2.9-WAR player, leaving him well short of matching his $40.1 million salary in terms of net value. Given the chance, plenty of teams around baseball would have happily paid $40 million for that production.
20. Minnesota Twins
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Total Net Value: $84.4 million
5 Best Values
Harrison Bader quietly had one of the best seasons of his career in 2025 after joining the Twins on a one-year, $4.75 million deal, and he was even better following a deadline trade to the Phillies. The 31-year-old should be able to reel in a multi-year deal this winter following a 3.9-WAR campaign.
5 Worst Values
The Twins will pay $10 million annually for the next three years for Carlos Correa to play for the Astros, as they cut their losses midway through his six-year, $200 million deal and sent him back to Houston at the trade deadline.
19. New York Yankees
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Total Net Value: $86.1 million
5 Best Values
Max Fried earned $14.5 million in 2025 and will have a matching figure in 2026 before his salary jumps to $31.5 million for each of the final six seasons of his eight-year, $218 million deal. He still would have provided $3.7 million of positive net value this year at that higher salary.
5 Worst Values
The Yankees released DJ LeMahieu in July and Marcus Stroman in August as both were in the final season of their contracts, so their negative contributions will be off the books in 2026. Ace Gerrit Cole is also expected to return from Tommy John surgery during the first half, so the worst values list should look a lot better next year.
18. Toronto Blue Jays
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Total Net Value: $92.7 million
5 Best Values
Before his hero turn in the postseason where he racked up a record 30 hits in 18 games, Ernie Clement had a 4.3-WAR season on the strength of his defense while earning a modest $1.97 million. Splitting his time between third base (66 starts), second base (49 games), shortstop (19 starts) and first base (six starts), he led all players with 2.9 defensive WAR.
5 Worst Values
Slugger Anthony Santander turned a 44-homer, 102-RBI contract year in Baltimore into a five-year, $92.5 million contract in free agency, but injuries limited him to 54 games in his Blue Jays debut. With a clean bill of health, he's still capable of earning his salary going forward.
17. Chicago White Sox
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Total Net Value: $93.6 million
5 Best Values
Only seven players on the White Sox roster earned more than $2 million in 2025, so it's not surprising to see them with a positive total net value, even if that didn't translate to wins. Right-hander Adrian Houser proved to be a great bargain-bin find on a one-year, $1.35 million deal, pitching his way to being an in-demand trade chip at the deadline.
5 Worst Values
Andrew Vaughn hit .189 with a 47 OPS and minus-1.8 WAR in 48 games with the White Sox, and he was demoted to the minors before the trade that sent him to Milwaukee in exchange for Aaron Civale. He then logged a 141 OPS with 46 RBI in 64 games for a contending Brewers team down the stretch.
16. Detroit Tigers
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Total Net Value: $96.0 million
5 Best Values
Even as he climbs the arbitration ladder, Tarik Skubal remains an absolute steal relative to his market value after earning $10.2 million. The presumptive AL Cy Young winner has a $17.8 million projected salary for his final year of arbitration in 2026, and his fast-approaching free agency will be a hot topic this offseason.
5 Worst Values
Javier Báez came much closer to earning his $25 million salary during a bounce-back 2025 campaign that included an All-Star selection. The 32-year-old was the team's worst value in last year's version of this article, registering an ugly minus-$33.8 million net value.
15. Houston Astros
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Total Net Value: $96.9 million
5 Best Values
Right-hander Hunter Brown was one of the best pre-arbitration pitchers in baseball this season, providing ace-caliber production while pitching on an $870,000 salary. The 27-year-old is projected to see that number spike to $5.7 million this winter, but that still makes him a strong candidate to be the team's best value again next year.
5 Worst Values
Jose Altuve had a reasonably productive season at the plate, posting a 112 OPS with 26 home runs and 77 RBI, but that was not enough to balance the scales on his terrible defense. His minus-2.2 defensive WAR was the second-worst mark among all players, and made him a 0.5 WAR player overall against a bloated $33 million salary.
14. Cleveland Guardians
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Total Net Value: $102.0 million
5 Best Values
A $19.1 million salary was enough to make José Ramírez the highest-paid players on the Guardians roster, but still leaves him massively underpaid relative to his status as a bona fide superstar and perennial MVP candidate.
5 Worst Values
Lane Thomas ($7.8 million, third) and Shane Bieber ($7.3 million, fourth) were two of the top-five earners on the Guardians roster in 2025, and both will be off the books next season, along with non-tender candidate Nolan Jones. The Guardians were No. 5 in these rankings a year ago, and trimming some of the fat should help them climb in 2026.
13. Arizona Diamondbacks
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Total Net Value: $107.5 million
5 Best Values
Shortstop Geraldo Perdomo signed a four-year, $45 million extension in February that kicks in starting next season, then turned in a career year with a team-high 7.0 WAR in 161 games. The 26-year-old might have cost himself some money in the long run, as the deal also includes a reasonable $15 million club option for 2030.
5 Worst Values
The D-backs paid Jordan Montgomery, Eduardo Rodriguez and Corbin Burnes a combined $71.3 million in 2025, and they produced a combined 2.3 WAR, with most of that coming from Burnes before he underwent Tommy John surgery in mid-June.
12. San Diego Padres
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Total Net Value: $114.4 million
5 Best Values
Nick Pivetta was one of the last notable free agents to sign after turning down a qualifying offer from the Red Sox, eventually agreeing to a four-year, $55 million deal with the Padres on Feb. 17. The uniquely structured deal paid him $2.5 million in 2025, with salaries of $20.5 million in 2026, $14 million in 2027 and $18 million in 2028.
5 Worst Values
The Padres might have been a different team in 2025 with Yu Darvish and Joe Musgrove both healthy in the starting rotation. Instead, Darvish struggled to a 5.38 ERA in 72.0 innings, while Musgrove spent the entire year recovering from Tommy John surgery.
11. Philadelphia Phillies
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Total Net Value: $124.2 million
5 Best Values
Cristopher Sánchez led all pitchers with 8.0 WAR in 2025, and his $62.0 million net value was the highest figure of any player in baseball, narrowly edging out Paul Skenes ( $60.7 million) for the top spot. The four-year, $22.5 million extension he signed in June 2024, which included a $14 million club option in 2029 and a $15 million club option in 2030, is a strong contender for most team-friendly contract in baseball.
5 Worst Values
It looked like a no-brainer to bring Aaron Nola back when the Phillies re-signed him on a seven-year, $172 million deal prior to the 2024 season. However, after he struggled to a 6.01 ERA over 94.1 innings in 2025, it's fair to wonder if that's going to devolve into a true albatross contract in the coming years.
10. Miami Marlins
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Total Net Value: $150.9 million
5 Best Values
They might not have been the flashiest tandem, but the double play combo of Xavier Edwards and Otto López provided a combined 6.7 WAR while earning $1.5 million between them. Both still have one pre-arbitration season remaining in 2026, so they will again earn roughly the league minimum.
5 Worst Values
Despite the fact that he was released in June 2024, the Marlins were still on the hook for $12 million to Avisaíl García to wrap up his disastrous four-year, $53 million deal. That dragged down their total net value, but they don't have any bad money like that on the books for 2026.
9. Kansas City Royals
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Total Net Value: $152.0 million
5 Best Values
The Royals were one of only two teams to have multiple position players record a net value of $40 million or greater, joining the D-backs tandem of Geraldo Perdomo ( $53.5M) and Corbin Carroll ( $40.8M).
5 Worst Values
The two-year, $13.1 million deal given to slugger Hunter Renfroe prior to the 2024 season looked like a nice mid-level addition for a Royals team in need of some pop, but he ended up logging minus-1.5 WAR in 155 games over the life of that contract.
8. Seattle Mariners
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Total Net Value: $159.4 million
5 Best Values
The Mariners signed Cal Raleigh to a six-year, $105 million extension in March, then watched him put together perhaps the greatest season in MLB history by a catcher with a 60-homer, 125-RBI performance. His $2.7 million salary spikes to $12.7 million next year, but the AL MVP candidate will still be one of baseball's best values.
5 Worst Values
The Mariners released Mitch Haniger in March and declined a $12 million mutual option on Mitch Garver earlier this week, so their two worst values will no longer be on the books in 2026.
7. Pittsburgh Pirates
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Total Net Value: $159.6 million
5 Best Values
The fact that Skenes earned just $875,000 in 2025 is a great snapshot of how broken the current arbitration system is, and he won't be eligible for a more significant raise via arbitration until after the 2026 season, so another year of extreme value is on the horizon.
5 Worst Values
The Pirates were the only team that did not have at least one player with a minus-$10 million net value or worse, so while they had one of the smallest payrolls in baseball, the money they did spend was at least well distributed relative to player production.
6. Athletics
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Total Net Value: $160.8 million
5 Best Values
The Athletics have assembled a dynamic young offensive core, and the five players at the center of it were the team's five best net values, including rookies Nick Kurtz and Jacob Wilson. The top four players on the list made less than $1 million in 2025, while Brent Rooker had a $4 million salary in the first season of his five-year, $60 million extension.
5 Worst Values
Luis Severino is one of only four players with a guaranteed contract for the 2026 season, as he is set to earn $25 million in the second season of a three-year, $67 million contract. The 31-year-old had a 3.02 ERA in 80.1 innings on the road, compared to a 6.01 ERA in 82.1 innings at the team's temporary home in Sacramento.
5. Boston Red Sox
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Total Net Value: $166.9 million
5 Best Values
The Red Sox crowded outfield was also a source of tremendous value, with Ceddanne Rafaela, Jarren Duran, Wilyer Abreu and rookie Roman Anthony earning a combined $6.4 million and producing 15.7 WAR. Will one of those outfielders be dealt this offseason to clear the logjam and bolster the rotation?
5 Worst Values
Walker Buehler was given a one-year, $21.05 million deal that was the equivalent of the qualifying offer last winter, but he flopped with a 5.45 ERA in 112.1 innings before he was released on Aug. 29.
4. Cincinnati Reds
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Total Net Value: $167.0 million
5 Best Values
Starting pitchers Andrew Abbott, Nick Lodolo, Hunter Greene and Brady Singer ( $16.1M) provided 18.0 WAR while earning a combined $17.8 million, and they anchored a rotation that finished ninth in the majors with a 3.85 ERA. All four will be back in 2026, and the starting staff should again be a major strength.
5 Worst Values
The Reds still owe Jeimer Candelario another $12 million in 2026, along with a $3 million buyout on a 2027 club option, but he was released on June 29 and will go down as one of the worst signings in franchise history.
3. Chicago Cubs
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Total Net Value: $171.2 million
5 Best Values
The entire Cubs infield provided positive value, with high-priced shortstop Dansby Swanson ( $8.0M) joining Michael Busch, Nico Hoerner and Matt Shaw as one of the most productive units in baseball. For what it's worth, Kyle Tucker ( $20.3M) was extremely valuable in what will likely be his only year on the North Side.
5 Worst Values
The Cubs did a good job cobbling together a productive bullpen, especially considering Ryan Pressly and Porter Hodge were expected to be their top late-inning options heading into the year. Nate Pearson (-$5.4M), Julian Merryweather (-$5.2M) and Eli Morgan (-$4.2M) also struggled as part of the Opening Day bullpen.
2. Tampa Bay Rays
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Total Net Value: $198.5 million
5 Best Values
The Rays do a great job squeezing every bit of value out of their limited payroll, and a breakout season from former top prospect Jonathan Aranda gave them another high-value player making roughly the league minimum. Yandy Díaz was one of only three players on the roster making more than $10 million, and he looks like a top trade candidate this winter.
5 Worst Values
A two-year, $29 million deal was enough to make Ha-Seong Kim the highest-paid player on the Tampa Bay roster in 2025, but he was shipped to Atlanta before the season was over, with the team paying him roughly $11.1 million of his salary before he was shipped to the Braves.
1. Milwaukee Brewers
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Total Net Value: $255.0 million
5 Best Values
The Brewers claimed the top spot in these rankings by a landslide, and 13 total players on the roster logged a net value of $10 million or better. This is the second year in a row Milwaukee has been No. 1 in this exercise, and they improved on the $229.6 million net value that earned them to top spot in 2024.
5 Worst Values
After opting for a $4 million buyout over their end of a $18 mutual option with first baseman Rhys Hoskins, the Brewers have the second-highest paid player on their roster off the books. Scrapheap pickup Andrew Vaughn has a $7.8 million projected arbitration salary, and after he faded down the stretch, it will be interesting to see if he is tendered a contract.
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