Embarrassing stat about Reds payroll goes viral

Apr 9, 2021; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Cincinnati Reds first baseman Joey Votto against the Arizona Diamondbacks during opening day at Chase Field. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

Cincinnati Reds vice president and general manager, Nick Krall, has worked hard to shed payroll ahead of the 2023 regular season. Currently, the club is 26th in the MLB with a total committed payroll of just $70,624,500 ahead of the Tampa Bay Rays, Pittsburgh Pirates, Baltimore Orioles and Oakland Athletics.

That number is down from $76,800,000 last year and may still be trimmed a bit before all is said and done.

As a result of this salary trimming, the team’s money distribution is very top-heavy. Joey Votto leads the way at $25 million with Wil Myers next up at $6 million. And that’s where things get a little weird.

The third-highest-paid player on the Reds is none other than Hall of Famer Ken Griffey Jr., who will earn a deferred salary of $3,593,750 in 2023.

If you look at the Cincinnati Reds 2023 payroll. You have:

Joey Votto – 25 million
Wil Myers – 6 million
Ken Griffey Jr – 3.6 million

That’s right, Griffey Jr is the 3rd highest paid player on the Reds payroll this season pic.twitter.com/5rtGCt6F9L

— BaseballHistoryNut (@nut_history) March 24, 2023

The 53-year-old Griffey Jr. last played in 2010 as a member of the Seattle Mariners. That came after a short stint with the Chicago White Sox and nine years with the Reds from 2000 into 2008.

After being traded from the Mariners to the Reds, Griffey Jr. agreed to a nine-year deal worth $112.5 million. That deal included 15 deferred years, each worth $3,593,750. The final payment will come in 2024.