DugoutIQThe money behind Major League Baseball.

Pittsburgh Pirates

NL Central
Revenue '25, $M
Estimated · Forbes · 21st (tie) of 30
Op. income '25, $M
Estimated · Forbes · 6th of 30
CBT payroll '25, $M
Reported · AP via Post Register
From other clubs '24, $M
Estimated · DK Pittsburgh Sports

Revenue and results

Payroll and all other costs: $282MOperating income: $48MRevenue: $330M

2025 revenue split into operating income and everything else. Calculated from Forbes estimates.

FigureValueRank of 30League medianSource
Revenue, 2025, net of revenue sharing$330M21st (tie)$359MForbes, Mar 2026
Operating income, 2025$48M6th$23.5MForbes, Mar 2026
Revenue sharing received, 2024$51.6M??DK Pittsburgh Sports, Mar 2025
Luxury tax proceeds received, 2024$8.3M??DK Pittsburgh Sports, Mar 2025
Local TV rights feeUnknownNot public

Marks: * estimated, ‡ unknown. About labels Figures from different seasons and sources shouldn't be added together.

Operating income is Forbes' estimate of what's left after payroll and every other cost of running the club, for one regular season. It isn't money set aside to run the organization. It counts luxury tax payments as a cost and leaves out playoff revenue, franchise value growth and businesses owners run alongside the club. A negative figure isn't the same as an owner losing money. What it leaves out

Other reporting, 2024. DK Pittsburgh Sports, Mar 2025: Reported an operating loss and new debt for 2024, based on interviews and a set of the club's internal books. Read the report

League context

Revenue against operating income for all 30 clubs, 2025. The Pirates rank 21st (tie) in revenue and 6th in operating income. The two clubs with the most revenue, the Dodgers and Yankees, come in below zero on Forbes' measure after paying $169.4M and $61.8M in luxury tax.

$200M$300M$400M$500M$600M$700M$800M$900M−$300M−$200M−$100M$0+$100MRevenueOperating incomeDodgers: $850M revenue, −$20M operating incomeYankees: $710M revenue, −$53M operating incomeCubs: $599M revenue, $58M operating incomeRed Sox: $567M revenue, $78M operating incomeMets: $553M revenue, −$213M operating incomePhillies: $539M revenue, −$52M operating incomeBraves: $524M revenue, $27M operating incomeGiants: $477M revenue, $54M operating incomeAstros: $464M revenue, −$45M operating incomePadres: $452M revenue, −$1M operating incomeBlue Jays: $445M revenue, −$71M operating incomeRangers: $398M revenue, −$44M operating incomeMariners: $390M revenue, $24M operating incomeAngels: $377M revenue, −$14M operating incomeTigers: $363M revenue, $27M operating incomeOrioles: $355M revenue, $23M operating incomeBrewers: $354M revenue, $47M operating incomeCardinals: $350M revenue, $33M operating incomeGuardians: $337M revenue, $53M operating incomeReds: $336M revenue, $26M operating incomeRoyals: $330M revenue, $25M operating incomeD-backs: $324M revenue, −$31M operating incomeAthletics: $320M revenue, $45M operating incomeMarlins: $320M revenue, $53M operating incomeRockies: $319M revenue, $20M operating incomeTwins: $315M revenue, $11M operating incomeNationals: $300M revenue, −$15M operating incomeRays: $290M revenue, $31M operating incomeWhite Sox: $239M revenue, −$40M operating incomePirates: $330M revenue, $48M operating incomePiratesDodgersYankees
Source: Forbes, 2025 season estimates, net of revenue sharing. Estimated.
How cap and floor supporters read it: Lower-revenue clubs receive shared revenue and tax proceeds, and several post some of the league's best margins while keeping payroll low.
How the players' union reads it: Operating income leaves out franchise value growth and playoff revenue, and the top spenders choose to spend. A floor addresses low payrolls without capping pay.

Payroll

FigureValueSource
Payroll, 2025$87.2MAP via Register-Herald
Tax payroll, 2025$108.6MAP via Post Register
Highest tax payroll, 2025: Dodgers$417.3MAP via Post Register
Money from other clubs, 2024 (revenue sharing plus tax proceeds)$59.9MDK Pittsburgh Sports

Payroll is what the club paid its 40-man roster. Tax payroll is the luxury tax figure, which counts each contract's average annual value plus benefits. Both are defined in the glossary. Figures are reported unless marked: * estimated. About labels

Where the Pirates fall against each side's proposed caps and floors

Baseball operations staff

Not yet counted. Staff counts come from an annual snapshot of each club's directory. How we classify roles

Farm system

LevelAffiliateHome
Triple-AIndianapolis IndiansIndianapolis, IN
Double-AAltoona CurveAltoona, PA
High-AGreensboro GrasshoppersGreensboro, NC
Single-ABradenton MaraudersBradenton, FL

Source: MLB.com, Apr 2026. Complex and Dominican Summer League teams not yet entered. Development budget: unknown.

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