Overview
- Steinbrenner said the 2025 roster payroll was $319 million and called a lower figure ideal, while rejecting assumptions the club turned a profit despite reports of roughly $700 million in revenue.
- Radio host Mike Francesa denounced the comments as a messaging blunder, saying the Dodgers “have made the Yankees look like an A-ball outfit” and warning owners will never open their books.
- Former Yankees outfielder Clint Frazier accused Steinbrenner of “crying poverty,” citing franchise valuations around $8–9 billion as fans question the team’s financial posture.
- Under Steinbrenner, the Yankees have routinely ranked near the top in spending and were third in 2025 CBT payroll behind the Dodgers and Mets, as the Dodgers won a second straight title with an estimated $415 million payroll.
- New York’s winter has begun with Trent Grisham accepting a $22 million qualifying offer, and decisions still ahead on pieces such as Cody Bellinger will reveal how the club approaches 2026 payroll.