Tigers wild card roster salary makes Astros stars look like rip-offs

For the first time in almost a decade, the Houston Astros won't be a participant of the ALCS.

The Astros' dynasty is finally over. Or it's at least slowing down a bit, as Houston will be forced to watch the rest of the postseason from their couches after the Detroit Tigers quickly disposed of them in two games during the AL Wild Card round.

Detroit would top the Astros by a score of 3-1 in Game 1 of the series, led by Tarik Skubal's incredible pitching performance. Skubal would go six shutout innings before turning the ball over to the bullpen, who secured the win (with a little scare in the ninth) to take a 1-0 lead over Houston. A Detroit Tigers bullpen game that featured seven different pitchers would pace them for the win in Game 2. Seven different Tigers recorded hits in the contest to secure a 5-2 victory, sending the Astros home.

The Tigers are the ultimate underdogs. They weren't buyers at the trade deadline this year. In fact, they were sellers, selling a few of their top talents, including Jack Flaherty, to the teams that they're now in the postseason with. Not to mention, the Tigers barely have any money wrapped up in their postseason roster.

Tigers wild card roster salary proves money doesn't always buy postseason success

With the two highest-paid players on the team's payroll, Kenta Maeda and Javy Baez, not being on the postseason roster, the highest-paid Tigers player in the Wild Card round was Colt Kieth at just under $3 million this season.

The Tigers' entire 26-man wild card roster combines for just $18.8 million of 2024 salary. To put this into perspective, there are 62 players in the MLB that earned more than that this season, including four on the Houston Astros.

Justin Verlander, Alex Bregman, Jose Altuve and Josh Hader all earned more than $18.8 million this season. While it's both funny and crazy to think about, Hader and Verlander are the two names that really stick out.

Verlander, 41, was paid nearly $44 million this year, well over double the entire wild card roster salary for the Tigers. The legendary right-hander didn't even make the Astros' postseason roster, yet, he was paid this much.

Hader was paid $19 million this season. Hader was the one that Houston brought in with their season on the line. With runners on first and second, Hader came into Game 2 with two outs in the eighth inning. He would walk Spencer Torkelson and allow the game-winning, bases-clearing double to Andy Ibanez.

Hader wouldn't be the pitcher who recorded the loss in the book, but he was the one who allowed the three winning runs to cross the plate. That's a win for the small market teams around the league.