Why have we donned our linen cravats, tailored waistcoats, silk breeches, and stout woolen spatterdashes? We have done so because we are about to Talk Business. 

Specifically we're going to provide the URL-clicker with each MLB club's Opening Day payroll for 2019. As a championship flourish, we're also going to rank these clubs according to Opening Day payroll for 2019. In addition to listing each team's payroll for the 40-man roster, we'll also list each team's current estimated payroll for purposes of the competitive balance tax (CBT), informally known as the luxury tax. 

The CBT payroll is a different, higher figure because it averages the annual value of long-term contracts even if those contracts include deferred money and also includes things like player benefits costs and salary owed to players no longer on the 40-man. The CBT threshold for 2019 is $206 million, which means the Red Sox, Cubs and Yankees are estimated to be north of that figure to start the season. 

Rank Team Opening Day payroll Estimated CBT payroll

1

Boston Red Sox

$213,188,334

$248,633,334

2

Chicago Cubs

$208,199,143

$225,199,143

3

New York Yankees

$206,407,750

$223,407,750

4

Washington Nationals

$181,400,409

$198,542,076

5

Houston Astros

$177,443,329

$194,443,329

6

Philadelphia Phillies

$172,374,782

$189,374,782

7

Los Angeles Angels

$167,456,465

$184,456,465

8

New York Mets

$161,865,003

$196,115,003

9

Los Angeles Dodgers

$152,863,333

$198,338,333

10

St. Louis Cardinals

$150,367,083

$174,190,855

11

Colorado Rockies

$149,335,166

$166,335,166

12

San Francisco Giants

$138,030,231

$155,030,231

13

Seattle Mariners

$135,802,314

$154,810,378

14

Milwaukee Brewers

$130,389,362

$147,689,362

15

Cincinnati Reds

$128,815,238

$145,815,238

16

Minnesota Twins

$113,590,267

$136,540,267

17

Atlanta Braves

$110,530,000

$127,911,060

18

Arizona Diamondbacks

$107,584,167

$124,584,167

19

Cleveland Indians

$107,345,783

$124,345,783

20

Texas Rangers

$102,462,762

$129,462,762

21

Oakland Athletics

$96,825,833

$113,825,833

22

Chicago White Sox

$96,697,001

$113,697,001

23

Detroit Tigers

$96,243,400

$113,243,400

24

San Diego Padres

$94,429,433

$125,429,433

25

Kansas City Royals

$83,079,283

$100,079,283

26

Tampa Bay Rays

$68,976,867

$97,976,867

27

Baltimore Orioles

$67,371,100

$84,371,100

28

Toronto Blue Jays

$66,626,457

$118,614,314

29

Pittsburgh Pirates

$65,918,500

$82,918,500

30

Miami Marlins

$62,911,262

$81,120,952

(Data courtesy of the very excellent Spotrac.com.) 

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