"From the start, we have tried to add as many high-upside players as we could and clear as much future payroll flexibility as possible," Coppolella said. "Our goal is to create an organization that is capable of going to the World Series every year."
Accounting for Upton's trade to the Padres in April and Friday's trade that sent Johnson to the Indians in exchange for Michael Bourn and Nick Swisher, the cost that had been targeted for Upton and Johnson has been reduced to approximately $26 million (which accounts for the salary Johnson earned this year in Atlanta, Bourn's $14 million salary in 2016 and the $15 million Cleveland provided to essentially offset Swisher's salary next season).