With Addition Of Wild Card Teams, MLB 2022 Postseason Shares Hit Record $107.5 Million

The players in Major League Baseball that made the postseason in 2022 saw bonus money, or postseason shares, pass the $100 million mark for the first time due to the addition of more Wild Card teams and additional games as part of the Wild Card series.

As players in MLB only have salary pay for the regular season, the league and union for the players have a unique system called postseason shares which divides the gate receipts between the two based on the percentage-based system over certain games. With a new collective bargaining agreement reached this year, the system has seen some tweaks that have increased revenues for the owners and bonuses for the players.

All told, 40 games comprised the 2022 MLB playoffs. Total postseason shares to the players in the 12 teams that competed totaled a record $107,510,840, a 19% increase from $90,468,645 in 2021 which was also a record.

With the Wild Card changing to the best-of-3 games and a total of four series, the league and MLB Players Association adjusted the percentage of the gate to the players 60% of 8 games. Prior, when the Wild Card was a one-game play-in in the American and National Leagues, it was 50% of the 2 games.

It’s not just the players that enjoy in the bonuses. The teams determine who gets full or partial shares of the pool they receive. They also can give cash awards to individuals working in the clubhouse. Based on the number allocated, the value of a full share can be lower or higher based on how the pool is divided.

The Houston Astros set a World Series-winning full share record of $516,347, up from $397,391 for the Atlanta Braves in 2021 due to two factors: the new Wild Card Series bringing the whole total up, and the Astros issued fewer shares than the Braves making Houston’s individual shares higher.

Below is the complete breakdown of postseason shares for each team:

Losing Teams In The Wild Card Series

Best-of-3 series. Players receive 60% of the gate for the first two games. Owners receive 100% if the series goes 3 games.

Each team in this group received 0.8% of the total $107.5 million pool, or $806,331.

• Toronto Blue Jays (Lost 2-0 to Seattle Mariners) – Full share value $10,007. Total of 80.57 shares (68 full shares allocated; partial shares allocated 12.57. There were no cash awards).
• St. Louis Cardinals (Lost 2-0 to Philadelphia Phillies) – Full share value $10,351. Total of 75.73 shares (63 full shares allocated; partial shares allocated 12.73. Cash awards totaled $22,453).
• Tampa Bay Rays (Lost 2-0 to Cleveland Guardians) – Full share value $8,387. Total of 95.15 shares (79 full shares allocated; partial shares allocated 16.15. Cash awards totaled $8,272).
• New York Mets (Lost 2-1 to San Diego Padres) – Full share value $9,480. Total of 82.58 shares (68 full shares allocated; partial shares allocated 14.58. Cash awards totaled $23,500).

Losing Teams In The League Division Series

Best-of-5 series. Players receive 60% of the total gate receipts from the first 3 games. Owners receive 100% for games that go past the minimum.

Each team in this group received 3.3% of the total $107.5 million pool, or $3,494,102.

• Cleveland Guardians (Lost 3-2 to New York Yankees) – Full share value $45,795. Total of 75.14 shares (60 full shares allocated; partial shares allocated 15.14. Cash awards totaled $53,000).
• Seattle Mariners (Lost 3-0 to Houston Astros) – Full share value $42,221. Total of 82.76 shares (69 full shares allocated; partial shares allocated 13.76. There were no cash awards).
• Los Angeles Dodgers (Lost 3-1 to San Diego Padres) – Full share value $36,148. Total of 95.24 shares (82 full shares allocated; partial shares allocated 13.24. Cash awards totaled $51,501).
• Atlanta Braves (Lost 3-1 to San Diego Padres) – Full share value $44,878. Total of 74.88 shares (60 full shares allocated; partial shares allocated 14.88. Cash awards totaled $133,604).

Losing Teams In The League Championship Series

Best-of-7 series. Players receive 60% of the total gate receipts from the first 4 games. Owners receive 100% for games that go past the minimum.

Each team in this group received 12% of the total $107.5 million pool, or $12,901,301.

• New York Yankees (Lost 4-0 to Houston Astros) – Full share value $145,820. Total of 88.47 shares (72 full shares allocated; partial shares allocated 16.47. There were no cash awards).
• San Diego Padres (Lost 4-2 to Philadelphia Phillies) – Full share value $152,709. Total of 84.47 shares (70 full shares allocated; partial shares allocated 14.47. Cash awards totaled $2,000).

Losing World Series Team (Winning NLCS team)

Best-of-7 series. Players receive 60% of the total gate receipts from the first 4 games. Owners receive 100% for games that go past the minimum.

Team received 24% of the total $107.5 million pool, or $25,802,602.

• Philadelphia Phillies (Lost 4-2 to Houston Astros) – Full share value $296,255. Total of 87.03 shares (72 full shares allocated; partial shares allocated 15.03. Cash awards totaled $20,000).

World Series Champion

Best-of-7 series. Players receive 60% of the total gate receipts from the first 4 games. Owners receive 100% for games that go past the minimum.

Team received 36% of the total $107.5 million pool, or $38,703,903.

• Houston Astros (Won 4-2 over Phillies) – Full share value $516,347. Total of 73.14 shares (59 full shares allocated; partial shares allocated 14.14. Cash awards totaled $940,000).