Yankees retain title of MLB's most valuable team: Forbes

[April 10, 2020]    (Reuters) - The New York Yankees are Major League Baseball's most valuable team for a 23rd consecutive year, according to the annual list published by business magazine Forbes http://www.forbes.com on Thursday.

The New York Yankees stand during player introductions before game three of the 2019 ALCS playoff baseball series against the Houston Astros at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

The 27-time World Series champion, which has held the top spot since Forbes began tracking MLB team finances in 1998, is worth $5 billion, up 9% from last year, Forbes said in a news release.

The Los Angeles Dodgers ($3.4 billion), Boston Red Sox ($3.3 billion), Chicago Cubs ($3.2 billion) and San Francisco Giants ($3.1 billion) rounded out the top five.

The reigning World Series champion Washington Nationals were valued at $1.9 billion, up 9% from last year.

According to Forbes, the average MLB team is now worth $1.85 billion, a 4% rise from last year, which marked the smallest year-over-year increase since 2010.

(Reporting by Frank Pingue in Toronto; Editing by Toby Davis)

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