Ken Griffey Jr. Among Cincinnati Reds’ Top Earners in 2023

In a surprising twist of fate, it seems that Ken Griffey Jr. is set to be one of the highest-paid players on the Cincinnati Reds in the year 2023. Despite not having played for the Reds since 2008, Griffey’s nine-year, $112.5 million contract with the team included deferrals that will see him receiving $3.59 million annually from 2009 to 2024.

The Reds, once considered one of the top franchises in baseball, have a projected payroll of just $70.6 million for the 2023 season – a figure that is only surpassed by four other teams in the league. Even more concerning is the fact that the team’s 26-man roster payroll sits at just $48.6 million, with former NL MVP Joey Votto and veteran outfielder Wil Myers holding the highest salaries on the books for the year at $25 million and $6 million, respectively.

Griffey, however, is slated to make more than any player on the current roster other than Votto and Myers, with his $3.59 million salary placing him as the fourth-highest-paid player on the team for the season. Adding to the payroll strain is the fact that Mike Moustakas, who was released by the Reds in January, is set to make $22 million in 2023.

Looking ahead to 2024, Votto and Myers both have options that will need to be exercised, but it remains to be seen if the Reds will opt to pay out the large sums required to keep them on the team. With Moustakas coming off the books after the 2023 season, there is a chance that Griffey could move up the ranks as the third-highest-paid player on the team – a fitting tribute for the former Reds star who donned the No. 3 jersey for nine seasons in Cincinnati.

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