Nats' $162 million opening day payroll ranks ninth in majors

The Nationals' opening day payroll was up 16 percent from last season and ranks ninth among all Major League Baseball clubs, according to figures compiled by USA Today.

The players who made the Nats' opening day 25-man roster or disabled list have a combined salary of $162,742,157. That ranks ninth in the majors, behind the Dodgers, Tigers, Rangers, Giants, Mets, Red Sox, Yankees and Cubs.

The Nationals' average salary of nearly $6.3 million ranks fifth in the sport, while their median salary of $4 million is tied with the Royals atop all of baseball.

This year's payroll easily surpassed last year's figure of $140,603,346, though that also ranked ninth in the majors at the time. The 2017 opening day payroll falls just a bit shy of the club record $165,485,977 payroll from 2015, which ranked fifth in the majors.

The Nationals shed about $29 million in salaries from last season after the departures of Jonathan Papelbon, Ben Revere, Wilson Ramos, Danny Espinosa, Yusmeiro Petit and Matt Belisle. They added only $20.5 million with the additions of Matt Wieters, Joe Blanton, Adam Eaton and Adam Lind, but the biggest reason for the increase in team payroll is the increased salaries of several returning players.

Bryce Harper's salary skyrocketed from $5 million to $13.625 million after the two sides agreed to a new deal and avoided arbitration. Stephen Strasburg, in the first year of his $175 million contract extension, saw his salary jump from $10.4 million to $16,428,571.

Daniel Murphy's salary has jumped from $8 million to $12 million in the second year of his three-year deal. Anthony Rendon and Tanner Roark also got raises through the arbitration process.

Here are the salaries for the Nationals' full opening day roster, including minor league infielder Jose Marmolejos (who is on the 60-day DL with a forearm strain). Catcher Derek Norris was not included in USA Today's calculations, but the Nats are paying him $688,525 after releasing him in mid-March ...

Max Scherzer: $22,142,857
Jayson Werth: $21,571,429
Stephen Strasburg: $16,428,571
Ryan Zimmerman: $14,000,000
Bryce Harper: $13,625,000
Gio Gonzalez: $12,000,000
Daniel Murphy: $12,000,000
Matt Wieters: $10,500,000
Anthony Rendon: $5,800,000
Shawn Kelley: $5,500,000
Tanner Roark $4,315,000
Adam Eaton: $4,000,000
Oliver Pérez: $4,000,000
Joe Blanton: $4,000,000
Stephen Drew: $3,500,000
Adam Lind: $2,000,000
Jose Lobaton: $1,575,000
Chris Heisey: $1,400,000
Blake Treinen: $563,700
Michael A. Taylor: $557,900
Trea Turner: $554,900
Enny Romero: $551,000
Sammy Solís: $545,700
Koda Glover: $538,300
Wilmer Difo: $537,800
Jose Marmolejos: $535,000 (60-day DL)