Largest contracts in MLB history

The numbers for the biggest contracts in MLB history keep going up and up.

Spending in baseball appears to be out of control, at least among some of the richest MLB owners who have no problem giving out massive contracts. Therefore, some of the biggest contracts in MLB history have come in the last handful of years. But what is the biggest MLB contract ever?

Counting down to the biggest MLB contract ever

To show you just how far baseball has come financially, we wanted to show you some of the largest MLB contracts of all time.

This is a mix of the biggest free agency deals and some mega contract extensions.

13. Gerrit Cole – 9 Years, $324 Million

Gerrit Cole is the only pitcher who has made it onto our list of the 10 largest MLB contracts. When the Yankees were desperate for an ace after the 2019 season, they gave Cole a nine-year, $324 million deal to secure his services.

Cole was on the heels of a dominant 2019 season in which he led the American League in both ERA and strikeouts. Oddly enough, Cole had never won a Cy Young and isn’t always the obvious choice for the best pitcher in baseball. Nevertheless, he still penned the largest contract of any pitcher.

12. Giancarlo Stanton – 13 Years, $325 Million

At the time that Giancarlo Stanton signed his 13-year, $325 million contract with the Marlins, it was the biggest the sports world had ever seen. Back then, Stanton was the most feared power hitter in the game.

Oddly enough, everything that has happened since then has been a little predictable. The small-market Marlins couldn’t afford to keep paying Stanton so much, so they unloaded him and most of his contract on the Yankees.

His performance with the Yankees hasn’t exactly matched his salary, aside from some postseason heroics in 2024, as Stanton is now a DH who hits an occasional homer but doesn’t do much else, making this contract a good example of the risk involved in these types of contracts.

11. Yoshinobu Yamamoto, 12 Years, $325 Million

Arriving from Japan with incredible statistics and a ferocious pitching arsenal, there was a race to sign Yoshinobu Yamamoto in the 2023-24 offseason.

Once again, it was the Los Angeles Dodgers who got the deal done, giving Yamamoto a 12-year contract.

10. Corey Seager – 10 Years, $325 Million

It’s funny how desperation and large contracts often go hand-in-hand. The Rangers were desperate to revamp their lineup, so they made Corey Seager a $325 million promise. At the time, Seager was just one year removed from being a World Series MVP, so the Rangers thought Seager was worth the investment.

Texas’ desperation was rewarded with a World Series ring in 2023, and Seager joined an elite club by winning his second Fall Classic MVP.

9. Bryce Harper – 13 Years, $330 Million

In a way, it’s surprising to see Bryce Harper so far down this list. When he signed with the Phillies for 13 years and $330 million in 2019, it was the largest contract in MLB history.

But just a few years later, it’s not even in the top eight.

On the other hand, at 13 years, Harper’s contract is still one of the longest contracts signed, especially for a player who had already played seven seasons in the majors. Plus, $330 million over 13 years isn’t exactly chump change, and after leading the Phillies to the World Series in 2022, Harper is on his way to earning his massive contract. 

8. Fernando Tatis Jr. – 14 Years, $340 Million

The Padres certainly took a risk when they signed Fernando Tatis to a contract extension worth $340 million over 14 years. Tatis was just 22 years old at the time, although he had already won a Silver Slugger award and went on to lead the National League in home runs in 2021.

On the downside, Tatis didn’t play at all in 2022 and was suspended at the start of the 2023 season. Therefore, San Diego has already experienced the highs and lows 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 deal.

7. Francisco Lindor – 10 Years, $341 Million

The Mets gave up some substantial pieces in a trade with Cleveland to get Francisco Lindor, so after that, they had to pay him.

At the time, Lindor already had multiple Gold Gloves and multiple Silver Slugger awards, making it clear that he is one of the best two-way players in the game. This contract also means that Lindor will be in New York through the 2031 season when he’ll be 37, which means that if Lindor doesn’t age well, neither will this contract.

6. Manny Machado – 11 Years, $350 Million

Manny Machado nearly made it onto this list twice because he’s signed two different contracts worth $300 million. In 2019, he signed a 10-year deal worth $300 million. But that deal wasn’t enough, so when Machado indicated that he would opt out of the deal after the 2023 season, the Padres quickly signed him to a new 11-year, $350 million contract.

That contract comes with a full no-trade clause, keeping Machado in San Diego through the 2033 season. While that seems like a long contract, Machado was only 30 at the time of the $350 million extension and has a chance to live up to that deal.

5. Aaron Judge – 9 Years, $360 Million

Coming off his historic 2022 season, the Yankees had no choice but to give Aaron Judge one of the biggest contacts in MLB history.

He’s clearly worthy of that 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 over $400 million, which could have potentially been the largest contract in MLB history. But in the end, Judge stayed in New York and should be satisfied with his $360 million contract.

4. Mookie Betts – 12 Years, $365 Million

The Red Sox weren’t willing to give Mookie Betts one of the largest MLB contracts of all time, but the Dodgers did. Soon after the 2020 blockbuster deal that sent Betts to Los Angeles, the Dodgers gave him a 12-year, $365 million extension, keeping him in Los Angeles through the 2032 season.

While Betts still has a lot of years left on that deal, he’s continued to be an all-star and one of the best players in baseball. In fact, he won both a Gold Glove and Silver Slugger in 2022, so there’s no doubt that he’s still an elite player. The only thing left is for Betts to help the Dodgers win a World Series.

3. Mike Trout – 12 Years, $426.5 Million

The best player in the game for over half a decade, it was inevitable Mike Trout would receive the biggest MLB contract ever. He has since been overtaken by a former teammate and a fellow generational hitter, but Trout is still third on this list.

The 12-year, $426 million extension he got with the Angels came after years of being the best player in the game and someone who will one day be considered among the greatest of all time.

Whether his recent injury issues allow him to fully live up to that deal remains to be seen. But Trout was still worth the risk of such a huge contract. In fact, Trout was the highest-paid player in North American sports history until Patrick Mahomes came along.

2. Shohei Ohtani, 10 Years, $700 million

The Toronto Blue Jays and San Francisco Giants were suitors for Shohei Ohtani in the 2023-24 offseason. It was the Dodgers who landed the two-way sensation, however, handing him a contract almost $300 million greater than the previous record.

Ohtani rewarded Los Angeles by winning NL MVP in his first season. The present-day value of the deal is actually considerably lower than the final figure due to significant deferrals.

1. Juan Soto, 15 Years, $765 million

Coming off a spectacular 2024 season with the Yankees, Juan Soto was searching for a historic contract. There was always a chance he’d break the record set by Ohtani given the age he was hitting free agency, and the New York Mets made sure they made history to land Soto.

Soto’s deal is unprecedented. It doesn’t contain deferred money like Ohtani’s contract. Ohtani is an anomaly, and while Soto is a special talent, he is a hitter and likely a DH for much of this deal.

The Mets took one of the game’s biggest stars from their city rivals with Steve Cohen once again showing he will not be outbid.