If you are someone that follows along with the latest sports news then you have probably noticed that players have been getting paid, and paid well. All of the professional sports are handing out some massive contracts, but that is especially the case in Major League Baseball.
What is ironic is the fact that MLB owners continue to claim that they had “biblical losses” during the COVID-19 pandemic, but they are still finding money from somewhere. Not only are players getting paid better than ever, but teams are also willing to hand out longer contracts than ever.
Nolan Ryan was the first player in MLB history to receive a $1 million contract from the Houston Astros back in 1979, and that started the trend. Now, some players are getting close to $1 million for every start, and that’s just going to continue to increase.
Here are the 10 richest contracts in MLB history, but this list will likely change every year moving forward:
10. Alex Rodriguez: 10 years ($275 Million)
If we started this list at number 12 then you would actually see the name of Alex Rodriguez on this list a couple of times. A-Rod set new records when he signed a massive deal with the Texas Rangers in 2001 and then doubled up back in 2008 with the New York Yankees.
It was the star shortstop that really set the stage for this spending spree, and $275 million was a staggering number at the time. A-Rod also became a poster child for bad contracts as his deal didn’t live up to expectations.
9. Manny Machado: 10 years ($300 Million)
Machado signed a 10-year deal with the San Diego Padres back in 2019 and it was the second-largest deal at the time. Even though Machado has slipped down the list, he will still make $30 million per year through the year 2028.
8. Gerrit Cole: 9 years ($324 million)
Gerrit Cole is the first and only pitcher to be on the list as teams don’t usually like to spend a ton of money on that position. There are too many injury concerns with paying pitchers for a long period of time, but the Yankees were willing to take a risk on Cole.
Cole is signed through the 2028 season, and he will be getting paid $36 million per year over that span.
7. Corey Seager: 10 years ($325 million)
Corey Seager is actually tied with the next player on the list after signing a massive deal with the Texas Rangers in the 2022 offseason. Seager will make $32.5 million over the next 10 years and will be signed with the team through his age-37 season.
6. Giancarlo Stanton: 13 years ($325 million)
It’s no surprise to see a third New York Yankees player on this list as that team used to give out massive contracts annually. Stanton signed with the Yankees for a whopping $325 million back in 2015 and he was just 25 years of age at the time.
5. Bryce Harper: 13 years ($330 million)
When Bryce Harper signed a 13-year, $330 million deal with the Philadelphia Phillies back in 2019 it was a record at that time. Mike Trout actually surpassed that record that same season, and four other contracts have been larger as of 2022.
4. Fernando Tatis Jr: 14 years ($340 million)
Fernando Tatis Jr. is actually the second member of the San Diego Padres on the list, signing a massive deal back in 2021. The star shortstop was just 22 years of age when this deal was signed, and could still have some solid years left after the deal ends.
If you were wondering, Tatis will be making just $24.2 million per year.
3. Francisco Lindor: 10 years ($341 million)
Francisco Lindor was looking to become the highest-paid shortstop in the league, and the Mets pulled the trigger after the 2021 season. Lindor signed the deal at age 27 and he is set to make over $34.1 million over the next 10 seasons.
2. Mookie Betts: 12 years ($365 million)
Mookie Bets signed a massive contract extension with the Dodgers after coming over from the Boston Red Sox. Betts will be making just over $30 million during this contract, but had a $65 million signing bonus, the biggest in MLB history.
1. Mike Trout: 12 years ($426.5 million)
While the top-10 list is likely going to change a bit over the next decade, Mike Trout will likely be at the top of the list for many years to come. Trout signed a ridiculous contract with the Angels back in 2019, and it is a deal that will last through 2030.
Trout will make a little more than $35 million from the Angels each year during this contract and he will be nearly 40 when the deal expires. It’s too early to tell if this will be a good return on investment by the Angels.
