Payroll lower than a year ago but sure to climb during season

The Pirates fielded a lower payroll to open this season than they finished with a year ago as a result of how they saw the offseason unfold, general manager Neal Huntington said, rather than an attempt to reduce costs.

The Pirates’ 2016 payroll finished at $99.9 million.

According to numbers released by The Associated Press last week, the Pirates opened this season at $91.5 million, 26th in baseball.

That number does not include the $2.75 million salary of Jung Ho Kang, who is on the restricted list, or the roughly $740,000 they owe Jared Hughes.

It also only includes the active roster, while seasonending payrolls, calculated for the purposes of luxury tax, include the entire 40man.

It is somewhat common for opening-day payrolls to be lower, as minor league promotions increase the payroll throughout the year and teams in contention acquire players to bolster their playoff chances.

The Pirates shed about $20 million by trading Francisco Liriano and Jon Niese last season.

They added $8.3 million of Antonio Bastardo’s salary, then spent $48 million on Ivan Nova, Daniel Hudson and extending David Freese’s contract (all multiyear deals; the three will make about $19 million in 2017).

“It’s a product of how we chose to allocate the dollars,” Huntington said. “With Kang’s money, our thought is at some point in time we’ll be responsible for the dollars once he’s able to get here and return to the major league level. We made a decision in spring training to move on from Jared Hughes. That would have been $2.8 million on the budget.

“It’s completely reflective on how we’ve chosen to allocate the dollars that we’ve had available.”

This week, Forbes released its annual estimations of MLB franchise values. The Pirates, according to the magazine, have an estimated value of $1.25 billion, 17th in baseball, and had an income of $51 million.

“Franchise values are very different from available revenues,” Huntington said. “Our available revenue is what our available revenue is. Revenue is substantially driven by market size. As a result, payroll is driven by market size. We have come to own that and accept that.”

Both numbers are inexact, but suggest a healthy organization capable of higher payrolls. The payroll likely will exceed $100 million by the end of the season.

Polanco out of lineup

Gregory Polanco did not start Wednesday so he could rest his left shoulder. The Pirates faced a lefthanded starter in Amir Garrett, but Thursday starter Eduardo Rodriguez also is left-handed.

“Just to give his shoulder a break,” manager Clint Hurdle said. “It’s not so much that it’s a left-hander, it’s just the day we chose.”