The figures for the biggest contracts in the history of the MLB continue to rise and increase.
Baseball expenses seem out of control, at least among some of the richest MLB owners who have no problem giving massive contracts. Consequently, some of the greatest contracts in the history of the MLB have occurred in recent years. But what is the largest MLB contract of all time?
Count to the biggest MLB contract of all time
To show you to what extent baseball has passed financially, we wanted to show you some of the greatest MLB contracts of all time.
It is a mixture of the largest free agency offers and certain mega contract extensions.
13. Gerrit Cole – 9 years, $ 324 million
Gerrit Cole is the only launcher to have concluded our list of 10 largest MLB contracts. When the Yankees were desperate for an ace after the 2019 season, they gave Cole a contract of $ 324 million in nine years to obtain its services.
Cole was on the heels of a dominant 2019 season during which he directed the American League both in the era and with withdrawals with sticks. Curiously, Cole had never won a Cy Young and is not always the obvious choice for the best baseball launcher. However, he has always written the largest contract of any launcher.
12. Giancarlo Stanton – 13 years, $ 325 million
As Giancarlo Stanton signed his $ 325 million contract with the Marlins, he was the largest in the world of sport. At the time, Stanton was the most dreaded power striker in the game.
Curiously, everything that has happened since then was a bit predictable. The marlins of the small market could not afford to continue to pay so much Stanton, so they unloaded it and most of his contract on the Yankees.
His performance with the Yankees did not exactly match his salary, apart from some heroic playoffs in 2024, because Stanton is now a DH which strikes an occasional circuit but does not do much else, which makes this contract a good example of the risk involved in these types of contracts.
11. Yoshinobu Yamamoto, 12, $ 325 million
Arriving from Japan with incredible statistics and a fierce arsenal, there was a race to sign Yoshinobu Yamamoto in the 2023-24 offseason.
Again, it was the Los Angeles dodgers who concluded the agreement, giving Yamamoto a 12 -year contract.
10. Corey Seager – 10 years, $ 325 million
It’s funny how despair and major contracts often go hand in hand. The Rangers were desperate to reorganize their range, so they made Corey Seager a promise of $ 325 million. At the time, Seager was only a year was withdrawn from a World Series MVP, so the Rangers thought Seaager was worth the investment.
The despair of Texas was rewarded with a World Series ring in 2023, and Seager joined an elite club by winning its second classic autumn MVP.
9. Bryce Harper – 1330 million dollars
In a way, it is surprising to see Bryce Harper so far in this list. When he signed with phillies for 13 years and $ 330 million in 2019, it was the biggest contract in the history of the MLB.
But a few years later, it was not even in the top eight.
On the other hand, at 13, the Harper contract is still one of the longest contracts signed, especially for a player who had already played seven seasons in the majors. In addition, $ 330 million over 13 years are not exactly a change of chump, and after having led the Phillies to the World Series in 2022, Harper is about to earn his massive contract.
8. Fernando Tatis Jr. – 14 years, $ 340 million
Padres certainly took a risk when they signed Fernando Tatis to an extension of contract worth $ 340 million over 14 years. Tatis was only 22 years old at the time, although he already won a Silver Slugger Award and led the National League in Home Runs in 2021.
Lower, Tatis did not play at all in 2022 and was suspended at the start of the 2023 season. Consequently, San Diego has already experienced the ups and downs of a contract of this size.
Of course, Tatis is still young and could still live up to this massive contract. However, it goes without saying that no other player on this list had so little experience in the majors when he signed this agreement.
7. Francisco Lindor – 10 years, $ 341 million
The dishes abandoned some substantial parts in a business with Cleveland to obtain Francisco Lindor, so after that, they had to pay it.
At the time, Lindor already had several gold gloves and several Silver Slugger prices, clearly indicating that he is one of the best players in the game. This contract also means that Lindor will be in New York throughout the 2031 season when he will be 37 years old, which means that if Lindor does not age well, this contract either.
6. Manny Machado – 11 years old, $ 350 million
Manny Machado almost succeeded in this list twice because he signed two different contracts worth $ 300 million. In 2019, he signed an agreement of 10 years worth $ 300 million. But this agreement was not sufficient, then when Machado said he would withdraw from the agreement after the 2023 season, the Padres quickly signed him for a new contract of $ 350 million over 11 years.
This contract is delivered with a complete non-exchange clause, keeping Machado in San Diego throughout the 2033 season. Although this seems to be a long contract, Machado was only 30 years old when $ 350 million and has the possibility of complying with this agreement.
5. Aaron Judge – 960 million dollars
After his 2022 historical season, the Yankees had no choice but to give Aaron Judge one of the greatest contacts in the history of the MLB.
He is clearly worthy of this kind of contract and has been an integral part of the Yankees throughout his career. According to reports, the Giants offered Judge a contract worth more than $ 400 million, which could have been the largest contract in the history of the MLB. But in the end, the judge stayed in New York and should be satisfied with his $ 360 million contract.
4. Mookie Betts – 12 years, $ 365 million
The Red Soxs were not willing to give Mookie Betts one of the largest MLB contracts of all time, but the Dodgers did. Shortly after the 2020 success agreement which sent Betts to Los Angeles, the Dodgers gave him an extension of $ 365 million over 12 years, keeping him in Los Angeles throughout the 2032 season.
While Betts still has a lot of years on this agreement, he continued to be an All-Star and one of the best baseball players. In fact, he won both a gold glove and a silver slugger in 2022, so there is no doubt that he is still an elite player. The only thing that remains is for Betts to help Dodgers win a world series.
3. Mike Trout – 12 years, 426.5 million dollars
The best player in the game for more than half a decade, it was inevitable that Mike Trout would receive the largest MLB contract of all time. It has since been overwhelmed by a former teammate and another generational striker, but Trout is still third on this list.
The extension of $ 426 million over 12 years which he obtained with the Angels came after years to be the best player in the game and someone who will one day be considered among the biggest of all time.
It remains to be seen if his recent injury problems allow him to fully respect this agreement. But trout was always worth the risk of such a huge contract. In fact, Trout was the best paid player in the history of North American sport until the arrival of Patrick Mahomes.
2. Shohei Ohtani, 10, $ 700 million
The Giants of Toronto Blue Jays and San Francisco were contenders for Shohei Ohtani during the offseason 2023-24. It was the Dodgers who won the bidirectional sensation, however, giving it a contract of almost $ 300 million more than the previous record.
Ohtani rewarded Los Angeles by winning the MVP NL in his first season. The current value of the agreement is in fact considerably lower than the final figure due to significant reports.
1. Juan Soto, 15, $ 765 million
Leaving a spectacular 2024 season with the Yankees, Juan Soto was looking for a historic contract. There was always a chance that he broke the record set by Ohtani given the age that he hit a free agency, and the New York dishes made sure they were doing the story to land Soto.
Soto’s agreement is unprecedented. It does not contain deferred money like the Ohtani contract. Ohtani is an anomaly, and although Soto is a special talent, he is a striker and probably a DH for a large part of this agreement.
The dishes took one of the biggest stars of the game of their competitors in the city with Steve Cohen again showing that he will not be overbid.