Rise is MLB Average Salary Lowest Since 2004

NEW YORK (AP) — The rise in Major League Baseball's average salary slowed this year as more players got hurt and wound up on the disabled list, leaving the increase at just under $14,000.

This season's final average was $3,966,020, the Major League Baseball Players Association said Friday in its annual report, up just 0.35 percent from last year's $3,952,252. That is the lowest rate of increase since a 2.5 percent drop in 2004.

The commissioner's office has the Aug. 31 average at $3,825,967, down from $3,835,498 in 2015. The union includes a pro-rated share of option buyouts that may be earned if the option is declined, while MLB does not take those into account in its average.

MLB said total salaries increased from $3.58 billion last year to $3.69 billion for those on Aug. 31 rosters and disabled lists.