Harrison Bader's one-year deal adds $10.5 million to both the Opening Day payroll and - more importantly - to the 40-man Competitive Balance Tax payroll. It's difficult to establish what the latter sits at now, with the unknown of arbitration salaries. Cot's estimates it to be $306.4 million, while Spotrac has it at $293.2 million. Regardless of which one is right, it's likely to go up, as the club still has one spot open on the 40-man roster.
There's something to like about all of these players. But, gun to your head, do you believe that all of these additions combined move the needle very much? That's a little over $36 million spent on this group. If each of these players was replaced with a guy making minimum wage, they not only would be under the highest tax threshold, they'd have a shot being under the draft pick penalty of $277 million, too.
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