The Baltimore Orioles are one of the most pleasant surprises of the 2023 MLB season. Entering the season, they were towards the bottom of the pack when it came to World Series odds. They were listed at +6000, on par with the likes of the Twins, Cubs, and Red Sox.
Chris Davis Is The Highest-Paid Player On The Orioles
Chris Davis is currently paid $14.83M by the Orioles
The highest paid player on the active roster makes $10M pic.twitter.com/JBsxlnPXxV
— Barstool Sportsbook (@BSSportsbook) June 4, 2023
But the Orioles have proved everyone wrong through the first two months of the season. Thanks to a balanced offensive attack and solid pitching from starters like Kyle Gibson and Tyler Wells, Baltimore is currently one of the top teams in all of baseball. Their record of 36-22 is 3rd best of any team, behind only the Rangers and Rays. If it weren’t for Tampa’s record-breaking start to the season, Baltimore would be sitting atop the mighty AL East after 60 games.
In looking at the team’s payroll, it is obvious that they’ve done things with a “Moneyball” feel, spending low on guys who produce well in one or two areas and contstructing a team of players that compliment each other. The front office of the Orioles has done a fine job with the team’s money allocations, as their highest-paid active player is making $10 million this season.
But that isn’t the biggest check that the Baltimore Orioles are writing this season.
Send ’em to Seattle.
All-Star voting is now live: https://t.co/Uogu5dME6O pic.twitter.com/CAcCRS1ekx
— Baltimore Orioles (@Orioles) May 31, 2023
Chris Davis hasn’t played since the 2020 MLB season, and yet he will be earning over $14 million from the team in 2023. This is due to deferred payments on a massive contract that he never lived up to, one that will pay him roughly $50 million over the next 15 years despite him being away from the game.
Davis was one of the hottest hitters in the game in 2013, leading the league home runs, RBIs, and total bases. He was rewarded by being given a 7-year, $161 million contract that cemented his stardom in the MLB. But it was all down hill from there as far as his production. After signing the deal in 2016, Davis never hit better than .222 in any of his final five seasons, and hit an abysmal .169 over the last three.