Major League Baseball teams have guaranteed nearly $2.5 billion to free agents this offseason, shattering the previous record by more than half a billion dollars and continuing the distribution of record revenues that could soon approach $10 billion annually industry-wide.

An analysis of free-agent spending and projected payrolls by Yahoo Sports found that salaries for all 30 teams will near $4 billion this year. The American League is set to spend nearly a quarter billion dollars more than the National League this season, according to the analysis, after final payroll numbers in 2015 put the AL just $24 million ahead of the NL.

Zach Greinke is the poster boy for MLB's huge free agent shopping spree. (AP) More

Since the beginning of free agency in November, teams have guaranteed more than $2.47 billion to 99 free agents that agreed to major league contracts, according to the analysis, well ahead of the $1.8 billion-plus of the 2013-14 offseason. Though deals this winter total 216 seasons – taking the average cost of a free-agent year to $11.4 million – a number of the biggest contracts include opt-out clauses likely to significantly lessen the overall outlay this offseason.

Two teams that haven't dipped significantly into the free-agent pool, the Los Angeles Dodgers and New York Yankees, remain Nos. 1 and 2 in projected payroll, according to the analysis. The Dodgers project to have an opening-day payroll of around $235 million and the Yankees near $229 million, according to salary figures from Baseball Prospectus and estimates on those expected to make the team.

Behind them are the other two teams expected to exceed the luxury tax threshold, the Boston Red Sox and Detroit Tigers, both with estimated payrolls in the $197 million range. Fifth are the San Francisco Giants, this offseason's free agent-spending leaders, at an estimated $171 million, followed by the Los Angeles Angels ($164 million), Chicago Cubs ($162 million), Texas Rangers ($149 million), Washington Nationals ($144 million) and St. Louis Cardinals ($143 million).

Because a number of significant free agents remain jobless, the numbers will change between now and opening day. They give a strong sense not just of the biggest-spending teams but the ones that have slashed budgets.

The Philadelphia Phillies may have the greatest year-over-year opening-day payroll drop ever come April 4. After having the seventh-highest last season at $146.9 million, the Phillies have trimmed nearly $62 million for this season and stand to enter 2016 with an $85 million payroll, tied for 23rd in the major leagues.

The Milwaukee Brewers' dip is not as drastic in dollars but even bigger than the Phillies' in percentage. Milwaukee has nearly halved its payroll from last opening day, going from $104.2 million to an estimated $56 million this season as it begins a rebuild. At $20 million, Ryan Braun would take up 35.7 percent of the entire Brewers' payroll, just ahead of Ryan Howard, whose $25 million salary would comprise almost 30 percent of the Phillies'.

Milwaukee is joined at the bottom by familiar teams. The Tampa Bay Rays ($64 million, 29th) and Miami Marlins ($68 million, 28th) are perennial salary bottom dwellers, as is Oakland ($80 million, 27th). The Atlanta Braves, once regulars at the top of the salary scale, project to be among the bottom five this season with an $83 million payroll. Their highest-paid pitcher, Jason Grilli, will make $3.5 million this year – less than 146 other pitchers.

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