Much fuss has been made about the Philadelphia Phillies' payroll as we careen toward the 2025 season. With the front office seemingly handcuffed by multiple mega contracts on the books, the Phillies have been very careful about their offseason spending this winter.
With all of their arbitration-eligible players now signed to contracts, the Phillies have a fairly good idea of what their 2025 payroll will look like heading into the season. They still have some pre-arbitration players to take care of, but the payroll currently sits at $307.6 million for luxury tax purposes, according to FanGraphs. That payroll puts the Phillies over the highest luxury tax threshold of $301 million, meaning they will be paying a 110 percent tax rate for this season.
While fans have been less than enthusiastic about watching key National League rivals, like the New York Mets and Los Angeles Dodgers, spend heavily this offseason, it's good to remember that the Phillies already have a star-studded group, thanks to previous winters of big spending.
So, which Phillies will be making the most this season? Here are the top five earners on the Phillies' payroll in 2025.
These are the highest salaries on the Phillies' 2025 payroll
No. 5: J.T. Realmuto, $23,100,000
Catcher J.T. Realmuto is heading into the final year of his five-year, $115.5 million contract in 2025. While his actual salary this season will be $23.87 million, his AAV hit against the payroll is a cool $23.1 million.
Realmuto only played in 99 games in 2024 after missing time with a procedure to clean up the cartilage in his knee. He hit .266 with a .751 OPS, 14 home runs, 47 RBI and 50 runs scored.
With the three-time All-Star turning 34 ahead of Opening Day, the Phillies will try to lessen the wear and tear on Realmuto's body with a reduced workload this year, per On Pattison's Tim Kelly. Whether he goes in for that idea or if the Phillies have the right backup to make it a real possibility is another matter.
No. 4: Aaron Nola, $24.57 million
Right-hander Aaron Nola briefly went to free agency last offseason before signing a seven-year, $172 million contract a couple of weeks later. The deal will see the career Phillie remain with the team that drafted him in the first round in 2014 through the 2030 season, earning the same $24.57 million salary each year.
Now 10 seasons into his MLB career since his 2015 debut, Nola carries a 104-79 record into the 2025 season, with a 3.70 ERA and 1.14 WHIP in 268 starts. The Phillies will be counting on the 31-year-old to continue to be a workhorse for the starting rotation again this year after topping the 190-inning mark in each of the last three seasons. He just narrowly missed the 200-inning plateau in 2024, reaching 199 1/3 innings with a 14-8 record and a 3.57 ERA in 33 starts.
No. 3: Bryce Harper, $25.38 million
Bryce Harper at No. 3 is a little misleading. Despite a $25.38 million AAV salary, his actual salary is $27.53 million, which would rank second on this list, but not for official payroll purposes. It's hard to believe, but the 32-year-old first baseman is heading into his seventh season in Philadelphia since signing his 13-year, $330 million contract.
He dealt with an elbow issue during the 2024 season and missed a little time with a hamstring ailment, but he still hit .285 with an .898 OPS and put up 30 homers, 87 RBI and 85 runs scored in 145 games. He made his eighth All-Star team, won his fourth Silver Slugger and finished sixth in NL MVP voting.
There has been chatter again this offseason from Harper's agent Scott Boras about wanting to get an extension on his current deal. Harper's current contract seems like a steal of a deal, considering how salaries of the sport's superstars have skyrocketed in recent winters.
No. 2: Trea Turner, $27.27 million
Shortstop Trea Turner will enter his third season with the Phillies in 2025 since signing an 11-year, $300 million contract in December 2022. With a $27.27 million salary, he sits ahead of Harper's AAV but will take home just a bit less than his teammate.
The 31-year-old started 2024 off hot, acting as a catalyst on the bases for the Phillies. He was on a 49-steal pace before injuring his hamstring in early May. Despite missing six weeks, Turner posted a .295 batting average and .807 OPS with 21 home runs, 62 RBI, 88 runs scored and 19 stolen bases in 121 games, earning his third career All-Star nod.
No. 1: Zack Wheeler, $42 million
The Phillies smartly inked staff ace Zack Wheeler to a three-year extension last spring, a $126 million deal that kicks in this year and runs through 2027. His $42 million salary makes him the highest-paid Phillie, and he more than earned that with a stellar 2024 season.
The 34-year-old righty was as unflappable as ever taking the hill every five days as the leader of the rotation. Wheeler was named to his second career All-Star game, was voted the NL Cy Young runner-up for the second time and finished 12th in NL MVP voting.
He went 16-7 in 32 starts, logging a 2.57 ERA (158 ERA+) and 0.96 WHIP while striking out 224 batters in an even 200 innings. He was even better in his one postseason start, blanking the New York Mets for seven innings in Game 1 of the NLDS, striking out nine with just one hit and four walks.
The Phillies will be looking for more of that Wheeler brand of magic in 2025 as they'll turn to their highest-paid player to lead what could be the best starting staff in baseball.