MLS salary numbers released, and rising RSL stars getting substantial bumps

The regularly scheduled MLS salary dump has hit again, and while you certainly can’t learn everything from it, it’s worth taking a brief walk through Real Salt Lake’s numbers.

A few points to consider, as usual:

• This does not represent the salary budget impact a player’s contract has. Other considerations — including readily achievable bonuses — play into that.
• There is often grumbling that the numbers simply aren’t entirely accurate. That’s possible, certainly. We can’t speak to that.
• Remember, designated players only impact the salary budget at the league maximum.

READ THE FULL LIST

Some major highlights from the list:

• Albert Rusnak is listed at $825,000 base salary. That’s a steal of a deal if he turns out to be a great player for us. Let’s assume his salary will increase over the years in his contract.
• Yura Movsisyan’s salary remains level, but he continues to be the highest-paid player on the team.
• Kyle Beckerman’s base salary — $750,000 — matches what he was making in guaranteed compensation in 2016.
• Nick Rimando’s salary went up again, but not significantly.
• Joao Plata must be right on the edge of designated player territory, because his guaranteed compensation is just over $400,000. That represents a more than doubled salary from the last dump in 2017.
• Justen Glad’s new contract puts him on $225,000 base salary. Previously, his salary was at $100,000.
• Aaron Maund’s salary nearly doubled, too — he’s on $165,000 base, and he was on $85,000 last year.
• Chris Wingert took a nearly $100,000 drop in pay from last year’s numbers.

Now, without further ado, the list.