NEW YORK — Forbes ranks the New York Yankees as baseball’s most valuable team for the 17th straight year and lists the Tampa Bay Rays with the lowest valuation.
Forbes said Wednesday it estimates the Yankees are worth $2.5 billion, up 9 percent from last year. The Los Angeles Dodgers are next at $2 billion, a 24 percent hike and matching their actual sale price in 2012.
Boston was third at $1.5 billion, followed by the Chicago Cubs ($1.2 billion), San Francisco Giants ($1 billion) and Philadelphia Phillies ($975 million).
At the bottom were the Rays ($485 million), Kansas City Royals ($490 million), Oakland Athletics ($495 million) and Miami Marlins ($500 million).
Major League Baseball’s average team value rose 9 percent to $811 million. Forbes says values rose primarily because of increased media rights fees.
